Monday, November 27, 2017

Last Week!

This last week I don't think we have stopped to breathe! It has been so busy and so much fun! I am dead tired though! It has been so wild! On Thursday we get a call at 11 from an elder in Old Harbour about 30 minutes away, telling us that his companion was missing... so we go on a search at 11 in the night! Long story short we found him and had a GOOD talk about the rules of sight and sound with missionary work... 

Then the next night (Saturday) we get a call from President Pearson at 1 in the morning telling us we needed to go pick up a elder from Linstead (45 mins away) and take him to Kingston hospital (1 hour away). So we do that and stay with him until 8 in the morning, ran home and went to church so I could speak! We then had a great Sunday full of visiting people and continuing on with the work! Then this morning I went to the doctors in Kingston because my legs were swelling from an allergic reaction to some bush we were chopping during the week! But all is well, got some medication and I'm great!

Also on Saturday morning we got to have Christopher Gregory baptized! He was part of a part member family that wants to go to the temple. Christopher is 10 years old and wasn't baptized due to some concerns with the parents but with some teaching and the working of the Spirit the family was finally prepared for this day! A lot of people showed up for the baptism and it was really spiritual!

This last week has been such a struggle! It is so hard saying goodbye to these people we have been working with for the past 2 years! I love them all so much and truly want the best for them! The work of the Lord will continue and we will continue to see miracles as we diligently do the Lords work! I am so grateful for these last 2 years and how much I have learned! I am so glad that I actually have a testimony now as for before my mission i did not! I do know the Lord lives and that Jesus Christ is our Savior! Through Him we have the opportunity to live the gospel so we can be forgiven and eternally progress to live with our loving Heavenly Father! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen!

Elder Hansen





November 20, 2017

Well we had a special stake conference where one of the 12 Apostles came and spoke to the stake! We were asked to sing in the choir, which also provided a way for us to sit 3 feet behind Quentin L. Cook and his wife. The stake conference was broadcast to Spanish Town and other mission dependent units so we wouldn't have got to see and talk with him unless we were in the choir! I don't think we sounded too good but he told all of us, "You guys were amazing, you look as good as you sounded". haha maybe he was just telling us we were ugly?? haha a joke but yea it was a really awesome experience! He spoke on a few great topics; 

1. We live in a tough world. There is so much evil in the world that we need to build Zion in our hearts and in our homes to have the spiritual strength to avoid the world!
2. Be an Example. Be upfront and bold about what we believe! Let people know what our standards        are without seeming better or more righteous than others.
3. Honor the Sabbath and TRULY make it a delight. 
4. Focus all of our goals towards the temple.
5. The Atonement of Jesus Christ. Really using the gift of repentance in life and to have the strength      because of Jesus Christ!

I can strongly testify that Jesus Christ has called Prophets and Apostles in this day to lead and guide His church! These men are real! They truly have the Spirit and Authority of God to preach! Their testimonies can strengthen so many others testimonies!


Everyone felt the Spirit so strongly as he spoke and testified of Jesus Christ! It made all of us want to be better and to be better Disciples of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Elder Hansen



Monday, November 6, 2017

The gospel of Jesus Christ is SO true!

This last week we had zone conference and were able to find a lot of new investigators through member referrals! All of which are awesome!

Zone conference was way good! President spoke on the Divine Companionship of the Holy Ghost in our companionship's! We have to have the Spirit with us or we are forbidden to teach! The Assistants taught on how to work with part member families and uniting all the families in the church. We taught on our zone goals and teaching interactively as the Savior would! It was a great meeting! Everyone left more motivated and receiving revelation on what we can do better at! 

We also found a great family through some members! We had a lesson with them and she has four kids under the age of 16. All of them sat in the lesson quietly, patiently, and participated in it! They are so awesome. The family has gone through a lot the past few months and so the mother, Sonita, just kept telling us how she feels different when she is around the missionaries and members of the church! She said she feels so much love and peace that no other church and people bring to her! She is really excited to come to church this next week and is going to start reading the Book of Mormon as a family! It was a very spiritual lesson! The member was crying and we were able to be tools in the Lords hand to help these people feel the love of God!
Man that just brings a lot of joy and happiness into my life seeing that! The gospel of Jesus Christ is SO true! HE can change lives! 

Elder Hansen


Pictures
1. Playing a game called lughty with the elders on monday.
2. Try to read what some likkle pickne wrote on our pickup!
3. Some awesome pickne

4. tree doing the rock on





October 30, 2017

The week was awesome! Our investigators are doing great and they are doing soo good! 

On Sunday morning we called two of our investigators named Jay and Jt to see how the preparations for church were coming along. They told us that they were already at the church waiting and nobody else was there. These 2 brothers, ages 15 and 12, were at the church before anyone else. The next person to show up was bishop. Bishop let them in and they went to work setting up chairs and preparing the chapel for sacrament. They are on date for the 11th of November! They just love learning. Anything we teach they just soak up like a sponge and want to learn more! It has been so much fun teaching them and we really look forward to all they will do in their lives, including serving missions!

Also on Sunday we had Cameisha the investigator that lives an hour away, come to church. She has been scared and nervous about getting baptized so we had some members sit down and encourage her. By the end of church 3 or 4 different members sat down and talked with her and helped to encourage and lift her so she will be confident in baptism! She is also on date for the 11th of November! 

At church we also had 2 other investigators that loved church! They said they will be back to church next week! 


Sunday was just such a joyful day! I love the members and the people of Jamaica! The joy of Christ is among all of us as we are laboring in His vineyard! 

Elder Hansen


October 23, 2017

This week we had MLC. It was such an awesome meeting. It always is and we always learn so much! It gives a great idea on how the mission is doing and how our individual zones are doing! So some of the statistics of this last year. Our mission has baptized around 180 people this year which averages out to be about 3 baptisms per companionship for the year. Last year it averaged to be 2 per companionship. 

We also learned about the Divine companionship of the Holy Ghost within a companionship! We need the Spirit with us always or we shall not teach! WE need to live worthy and always be doing the activities that invite the Spirit into our lives! We have been trying to do better on this so we can teach more powerfully with the Spirit in our lesson! That way the Holy Ghost can take the truth to the heart of the investigator! 

We fasted with one of our investigators to help her resolve one of her concerns for baptism! She called us as we were almost done with the fast telling us that she is ready to be interviewed for baptism! She passed her interview! Baptism soon forward!

We also had 5 investigators to church on Sunday! It was GREAT! They all loved it and are doing well! Overall it was a great week! I have had such a great time helping others this week and it really does bring a lot of joy!

Elder Hansen





Monday, October 9, 2017

When it rains!

This last week has been full of rain and great teaching opportunities! It has rained almost every day and in turn cools the area! I have actually slept with a sheet over me for the past 4 nights! So that is pretty nice to have some colder weather! 

This week we had so many awesome lessons! Lessons that are really powerful and recharging! We have been working with this member named Brother Pryce. He served a mission here around 7 or 8  years ago! He is now in the stake. He is a machine at sharing the gospel! He is really bold! We had a lesson with one of his friends and she just wasn't really having any of it! He boldly testified of how he came to know this gospel to be true! She shrugged it off and he boldly brought her to church the next day! Turns out she loved church! She was participating in all the classes, talking with everyone, and really just wanted to learn more! The Spirit can truly work wonders! We were able to see that with another investigator, a referral from the same member.  He showed up to church unexpectedly and loved it the same way! It was such a great and spiritual Sabbath day yesterday and I am just way grateful for the Lords help in the work! 

Every day is a great day to be in JAMAICA! EVERY DAY I am coming closer to Christ and also helping others to find Him and that brings JOY! 

Elder Hansen





Monday, October 2, 2017

October 2, 2017

It has been a great week with General Conference and getting our investigators closer towards baptism! We have been receiving a lot of referrals from members that are truly ready for the gospel! Every time we receive referrals it just reminds how effective and fun member missionary work is! So that being said help the missionaries around you to teach those who are prepared! The missionaries will much appreciate and God will much appreciate it as well! Enough blessings to come as we share what brings us so much joy!

General Conference was way good! I learned a lot! The speakers seemed to have a focus on the Book of Mormon, families in the gospel, and our pathway back to living with our Heavenly Father! All of the talks were really inspiring! I really liked Stanley G. Ellis' talk on how hard times are a constant in life, the variable is how we will react to the hard times. Its so true the question isnt, "Will there be hard times" but more of, "How should I react to this hard time". Its a lot harder done than said but with the help of our loving Savior we can do all things and he will be there every step of the way as long as we look to Him. I know that is true and I know that Christ wants to help us! We just need to exercise our agency in the right way!

On another note "Mama Eddie" the member who feeds us every Sunday, fed us some delicious turkey neck and rice! Turkey neck is so good! You just eat the bones and all! High in protein and calcium.  Good stuff! And another good week ahead of us! bless up!

Elder Hansen

September 25, 2017

Some highlights to the week:
-Had Zone Conference on Wednesday. We taught on how becoming more like Christ will help us to in all aspects of missionary work.
-Got to visit sister Lawrence one of our investigators that is planning to be baptized on the 7th of October. She has so much faith. her son who is a recent convert of about 9 or so months has gone wild. he worships solacie and just curses bad things about the church and about us. But this doesn't stop sister Lawrence! She is still reading the book of Mormon, praying, and getting to church!
- This morning we traveled to the blue mountains. To go for a nice explore into the mountains! It was great! We got into the middle of the mountains and into these tiny roads and towns! Where no white man has ever traveled probably! haha The looks from the people are hilarious but they are so friendly and welcoming to us! We then came across a military base. As we were traveling through the base we took a wrong road somehow and got real lost in this military base. We were driving all over the place trying to find the main road and couldn't... finally someone found us and helped us out! haha so that was a way fun experience! Jamaica is so beautiful and it was nice to get into some cooler weather and see all the mountains!

Overall a great week! Every week is great getting to the Lords work and help others to find the gospel of Jesus Christ! My testimony of Him and of His gospel is growing everyday and I love it! Bless up to all!

Elder Hansen





Friday, September 22, 2017

September 18, 2017

Well another great week has passed! We are still busy with everyone we have been working with! On Sunday we had an investigator that lives an hour away show up and hour early for sacrament! It was so awesome! We get a call from her telling us that we are late to sacrament!  She is awesome and she loves coming to church! She has been 3 of the last 4 Sundays and has to travel an hour by taxi to get to church! Just goes to show if any one has the desire to come to church they will come! Real desire means real action!

We also had another Missionary Leader Counsel in Kingston on Friday! We talked about how we can find JOY every day in the work no matter what! It was a great counsel and we will get to present to everyone on Wednesday at Zone Conference!


Everyday we are witnessing miracles whether big or small! It is great to be able to point people in the right direction for them to find eternal joy and happiness! That is through Christ and living his gospel. We might find temporary happiness with things of this world which is good! Don't get me wrong! Skiing and biking are great but living the gospel is eternal JOY! Everyday is a great day to be in JAMAICA! yea MON!

Elder Hansen

September 11, 2017

The week has been good! It's been real busy with transfers and driving missionaries all over the place. We were up in Ochi and then to Kingston, Portmore, back to Kingston and just a lot of traveling! But we were still able to get a lot of work done in helping our investigators progress! We are still teaching a lot of referrals received from working with the members and it is a blast! There will definitely be more baptisms coming soon and a lot more joy and blessings coming to the people here in Panish Town! 

Also, we had a cool experience to show these 3 people from headquarters around our area. They will be filming a video for missionary safety that will be shown to all the missionaries world wide. And a lot of it is going to be filmed here in Jamaica! So that's way sweet. We got to hang out with these 3 guys that all know the Prophet and 12 on a good friend basis. The main guy was also the creator and director of Meet the Mormons. They are all really good guys and they taught us a lot! They will be filming the beginning of next year so I wont be in the video but my companion definitely will be! They made him do a lot of role play acting and stuff! 


I was also able to finish the Book of Mormon this last week again! Every time I read the Book of Mormon I learn so much! Every time I read in it, I am really able to feel peace and learn how I can come closer to our Savior! I have grown to love reading because I am not a reader by any means but I do Love reading the Book of Mormon and I know that it is the word of God that will lead us to Eternal life!

Elder Hansen



Thursday, September 7, 2017

Joy!

We have had such a GREAT WEEK! The best part was being able to have Brother McCorkell baptized! The Lord had truly been preparing him for this time and he was so happy to finally get to do it! His wife and kids were also very happy! A lot of happiness and JOY all around! And that is what its all about! Just bringing pure JOY to peoples lives! I love it! The baptism was super powerful! A lot of strong testimonies bore! 

Earlier in the week we got to help out with a members son who got killed. Jamaicans like I mentioned go all out on funerals and everything else with death. So for the grave digging we were all out in the middle of nowhere in the hills digging a grave and making a sepulcher for the casket . There was a lot of his friends and family that came to help and it was great to get to participate in that! The actual funeral will be on saturday coming!


The work is great! Transfer calls came and Ill be staying in Spanish Town for at least another 6 weeks! I love Spanish Town and the people here! Every day is  a great day serving the Lord!

Elder Hansen


OLD man names George!

This week has been a really great week of learning on how we can become more like Christ. As we study and apply his attributes into our life, our lives change. We are happier and find peace in everything.

 This week we have been able to help a lot of people as we focus on helping them with their specific needs. We have been busy doing service and teaching! Every day is a great and beautiful day in Jamaica! 

One particular instance that I loved about this last week is watching this OLD man named George Panton walk in the doors to the chapel on Sunday morning. He is a recent convert and hasnt been very active for the past few months. We were able to visit him and help him and he showed up. He had to walk 45 minutes to get to church. He wasnt wearing the most fancy suit and tie but just came in what he had! I really enjoyed and loved to see Brother Panton show God his faith and be so willing to do what He asks! 

With all the pictures. Last p day we took an explore into the hills and found some nice places! Really beautiful and quite for a change! I love Jamaica and more importantly the people who live here!

Elder Hansen





Saturday, August 26, 2017

More news...Spanish Town!

 A lot has happened in the last week! One of our recent converts Devon Thompson got married to a long time member. The wedding was very very simple. It was us, the bishop, and the wives daughter. No fancy flowers or anything! It was a great experience to see how willing they were to obey the law of chastity and want to live happily together! 
Devonette Miller was also baptized Sunday morning! She has been such a great person to work with! She had some problems where she was living and ended up moving in with some members here in Spanish Town. When we first started meeting with her she was very quiet, sad, and mad but now she is filled with the Spirit. Where she is happy, jokes around and has a good time! The gospel of Jesus Christ is there to help people in all ways! 


The Pictures.

The church here in Spanish town.
The baptism and a Jamaican funeral.

 Funerals here are HUGE!! Normally following the hurse, (or the trailer hurse), there will be a motorcade of people for a solid 5 to 10 minutes of straight vehicles! 




Sunday, August 20, 2017

August 16, 2017

This week has been full of great activities! We had Zone Conference on Saturday. And on Monday we had M.L.C. Both of these meetings were really inspirational. Elder Alonso was doing his mission tour through Jamaica so he was at both of the meetings and we learned so much from him! He is the new Seventy that was assigned to the Caribbean Area! 

At both of these meetings we learned about the importance to become like Christ. Not just act like him but BECOME like him! I learned so much and have been trying to improve!

Also in my studies in Alma 62: 41 it talks about the trials that the Nephites and Lamanites went through of War, pestilence, hardship, and everything else. All of the people went through these trying times but not all came out with the same outcome. Some came out with hardened hearts, some came out with softer and more humble hearts. But they had the same trial. So what changed the outcome? Well I think it has a lot to do with the perspective and attitude we have towards our different trials. If we know that God will strengthen us and that we will come out with a stronger faith to follow Christ and turn to our Heavenly Father and we stay positive then we will come out of trials benefited and blessed immensely! However as we all know it is much easier said than done! May we all become more Iike our Savior Jesus Christ and have the faith to follow him!

Also got to meet up with some of the people I first served around in Junction. It was great to see them!


Elder Hansen



August 8, 2017

This has been a great week! We have had a lot of wonderful spirit filled lessons this week, our investigators are doing awesome, the members are doing better than ever on sharing what they know, and Elder Willard and I are great! 

One particular lesson we had was excellent. When we showed up the couple was kind of angry or sad just because the day hadn’t exactly gone their way. We had decided to teach on temples, the blessings that come from attending the temple. Throughout the lesson there was a lot of testimony borne on the temple! As the time went on their attitudes started to change even to the point at the end of the lesson where they were really happy and motivated to keep going! To make it to the temple so they can experience those blessings! They went on to sincerely thank us for inviting the spirit more into their lives. I just love this example about how the Gospel of Jesus Christ can truly change lives. Whether that’s changing a bad day into a good day or a bad life into a good life! I know that through Jesus Christ we can always be Happy! That we can work our way towards living with our loving Heavenly Father once again!

Also on Sunday I got to give my first baby blessing!

For the pictures..
1.) Two police man riding tandem on the bike... They do it all the time, maybe even sometimes 3... 
2.) Elder Willard loves bag juice so we stop regularly at like shops on the road to get him some bag juice!

Everyone have a great week and let the gospel of Jesus Christ help you!


Elder Hansen



Sunday, August 6, 2017

Great Examples!

July 31, 2017

Annette Waight the one we found through the Levy Family is doing so good! She was so ready to be baptized and the ward welcomed her with welcome arms! IT is always exciting to get to watch persons be baptized! The emotions they have and the progress they have made in the Gospel! 

Elder Willard and I are having a blast! Every day is a GREAT day to be in Jamaica! The work is still going so good here in Spanish Town! The ward is strong! The members are excellent and we are really developing some great friendships with all the members! Since developing this relationship and working with them to share the gospel we now have 2 confirmed meal appointments a week! Hahaha! There are so many blessings that come from working with the members including eating chicken foot soup and turkey neck! I love the food! It is nice!

One lesson I learned this week while reading in the Book of Mormon is how Ammon set a great example about how to act when people don’t like you or you don’t like them!  When he meets King Lamoni’s father, the father wants to slay Ammon because he is a "Nephite" but despite their little dispute and Ammon showing him who is boss he always loved the father and King Lamoni. Because of that love and care towards them Lamoni’s father wanted to learn more and in turn most of the Lamamite kingdom was converted! I think it is just really cool to see the impact that played on so many lives as Ammon really showed how to Act like Christ! 

Everything a gwon Great! 

Elder Hansen




Joy in Spanish Town!

July 24, 2017

This week has been once again another great and successful week! I have never worked with the members so much in my mission! I love it! It is so much fun to work with all the members and find success with them! When their friends and family are baptized that strengthens the members faith to go and share the gospel with even more people! So there is a lot of JOY in Spanish Town right now! Elder Suwyn and I have truly loved serving with each other but we got the transfer call that he will be going to Santa Cruz and I will be receiving Elder Willard. Elder Willard is a brand new missionary. He’s been out 5 weeks but he is a boss! He actually is already living in Spanish town really close to us in a different area so we are regularly with him! So I am really excited to work with him also! He is from American Fork. 

We went on another excursion to find this former investigator up in the middle of nowhere. That’s where these pictures come from. But man Jamaica is really beautiful! I love getting out of the cities and getting more into the country to see the humble but happy and joyful circumstances people live in! They are happy to be alive and give God thanks and praise every morning they wake up! As should we all!


Elder Hansen




Friday, July 21, 2017

Another great week! Devon's Baptism!!!

Another great week accomplished! The work is going so so good! The members are doing so great at sharing the gospel and we are receiving referrals from them weekly! Because of that we are very busy and the time is going by too fast! 

As for Devon’s baptism, it went really good! He was so prepared and ready to do that! He was so excited and talked to everyone about his baptism! I always say this but it such a great experience to work with someone from the point of meeting them and them progressing to be baptized! The Atonement of Jesus Christ is so real! I know that because I have not only seen repentance work for me in my life but I get to watch how repentance will completely change others way of living and who they are to be more pleasing to the Father! That is a really joyful process and then to get them go under the water! It really brings a lot of JOY! I love it! I love these Jamaican people as well! It is so much fun getting to work with all the families in the ward and watch them put the Gospel to work! The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true!

Picture of the baptism! 

Picture of the drive to Linstead each week!



Sunday, July 16, 2017

Jordan's Baptism

The work a gwon! We have had a blast this week with Jordon’s Baptism, a few tradeoffs, working with the members, investigators and also putting a new roof on a church sisters home. 

Jordon’s baptism went really well! He was way excited about being baptized and was really able to feel the Spirit as he followed the Savior!
We have an awesome investigator we found last week through a member. Her name is Annette and she was on date for the 29th. When she came to church she came up to us and told us she wouldn’t be able to make her date to be baptized... She then went on to say how she could be baptized on the 30th! She is so awesome and is really ready to follow the Savior! It is really cool to see how the Lord works in his timing! She had met with missionaries years ago and wasn’t ready but now Annette is excited to come to church and do all that she can to keep the commandments!

We also got to help a member replace her zinc roof with a newer zinc roof! So that was a good time and she was so appreciative of the help! 
All in all a great week! We have got a lot done and it feels good to lie down at night and be dead tired! I love the work of the Lord!

The pictures:
The house is where the wall is being built to live the law of chastity the man is brother brown!  A member that always comes teaching with us!

Jordan's Baptism

The house and the law of chastity wall


Sunday, July 9, 2017

2 NEPHI 5:27

The week has been great! Every week I say that and it’s true! This week we have seen a lot of miracles working with the members! We are just here in a gold mine! There are a lot of part member families and families that are willing to share the Gospel with their loved ones! So we have been doing A LOT of member work and it is fun!

One of our investigators named Devan is the boyfriend to a member and they live in the same house... So we told him that he could be baptized if he lived in a separate room and separate bed than his girlfriend. That’s what President Pearson told us was ok. So we go to see him and he was building a wall between the two beds because they live in a one room house that is probably 15 by 15. So he was so excited to show us this wall that he was building so he could be baptized!! It was so awesome and put a huge smile on my face to see this man really willing to do all he can to follow God! Devan came to church and even brought one of his friends with him!! He is on fire with sharing the Gospel! He will be baptized on the 15th of July!
The picture is of a couple of boys that are one of the members kids in this area! The older one we have been teaching for a couple weeks and will be baptized on Wednesday! He is really smart! 

Through studies I found this awesome scripture in 2 Nephi 5: 27; "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness".  Nephi and his followers chose to be happy because they did what God asked of them! So it is with all of us! We can choose to be happy!! I am happy and enjoying every day!!


Elder Hansen


Monday, June 26, 2017

Every day is great in Jamaica!

Spanish Town is awesome! Everyone always says Spanish Town is the best and I never thought so because of how hot, flat, and dry it is here but I really love Spanish Town! The members here are so much fun to work with! We have been doing a lot of member work and we are seeing the blessings that come from that! We put 3 people on date for July and 2 of those are both from part member families! So the work is great and we love it!

We also had Zone Conference this last week and there was a lot learned! We continued to talk on attitude and mindset. The importance of having a positive attitude and the right mindset for missionary work especially for accomplishing our goals! We need to believe that we can accomplish the goals we set and then go to work so that the Lord will bless us. With also having the correct motives behind the things we do! It is true! I love the people of Jamaica and every day is a great day in Jamaica! We find happiness in everything even if it people calling us "Whiteey" or whatever else!  Have a great and positive week!

                       

Elder Hansen




Thursday, June 22, 2017

Spanish Town is nice!

Well this week has been another great one! Spent most of the week in Mobay and then on Saturday we traveled down to Kingston for MLC and traded off with Elder Suwyn as my new companion! Elder Suwyn is way cool! We have always served around each other in the same zone! He is from Vernal Utah and has been out for just over a year! He is a solid missionary and we are really excited to be serving together! 

Spanish Town is a lot different than Mobay. I won’t be seeing white people for as long as I am here! That’s a good thing because white people that aren’t missionaries scare us pretty bad! It’s weird but it’s true, so Spanish Town will be nice to be fully engulfed in the culture!  The ward here is also really strong! There was a 100 people at sacrament and they are successful people! I’m really glad and excited to work with the great people of Spanish Town!

Other than that the work continues and we are working harder than ever to just LOVE EVERYONE! It’s hard I’ll be honest! Some other people that belong to other denominations are so hard hearted that they don’t want to hear a single thing we have to say... but ... that doesn’t matter we just have to show love and truly care for these people! We have seen a change in the reaction of people as we are working on this! I know that Jesus Christ LOVED everyone and he wanted the best for each and every one! May we all try to have that same love for the people we are around every day! 

Try to figure out what the sticker is saying on the back of the car!


Elder Hansen