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! 

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

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