Hey family!
I loved your letters and the pictures so much this week! Thanks so much for sharing your conference experience with me, it looks like it truly was a great spiritual experience for everyone. That is so awesome that you got to meet the Carter's, they are great! Hope you gave them my love, I have such a special place in my heart for them. Glad that the trip went well and that you could enjoy listening to the our modern day leaders. I was truly amazed by their words this past week.. especially Elder Uchtdorf's talk "Lord, is it I?". This talk really had a serious impact on me and has had me thinking this past week about my mistakes and my weaknesses, and how important it is that we all purify ourselves.
I loved this part a lot: "But those who want to improve and progress, those who learn of the Savior and desire to be like Him, those who humble themselves as a little child and seek to bring their thoughts and actions in harmony with out Father in Heaven - they will experience the miracle of the Savior's Atonement. They will surely feel God's resplendent Spirit. They will taste the indescribable joy that is the fruit of a meek and humble heart. They will be blessed with the desire and discipline to become true disciples of Jesus Christ."
I can't explain how much this has been part of my mission. I feel like the Lord has humbled me a lot and has truly shown me my weaknesses. It isn't always easy, but as Elder Uchtdorf explained if we ask ourselves sincerely "Lord, is it I?" with the mindset of wanting to change and recognize our mistakes we can desire this taste of indescribable joy. It's not easy, to admit our mistakes, but it is the way that the Lord has instructed us that we need to humble ourselves and learn. I feel that my greatest desire in the world is to be a disciple of Christ and try to follow in his footsteps. I hope that you guys can listen to this talk and the other ones as well. I wish I had time to talk more about conference but time is short!
We had some investigators go and watch the conference as well which was fantastic! It is a great tool to teach about the Restoration and about a living day Prophet. We are so blessed to be guided by Thomas S. Monson, and wow are his words powerful. I was so happy that our investigators got to listen to him.
We have had some serious help from our members lately, they have been so awesome in supporting our investigators. We watched the Saturday afternoon session in the Quiroa Families house which was awesome. But at the same time Teodora wanted to go to the session in the church. So we called Hermana Llerena to ask if she could join her. So she went to the house of Teodora and picked her up and they went to the conference together.. and our Teodora loved it! She really has made such great progress, and has been so prepared by the Lord. She has now been 5 days with smoking cigarettes and has been reading and praying every single day! On Tuesday when we had a lesson with her she was still having doubts about baptism. She wants to get baptized, but just isn't sure that she is ready. So we talked a little about the requirements of being humble and being clean, and we left her with 2 Nephi 31 to read.
On Thursday when we went over there we started talking and she mentioned how she had been feeling very alone (because her sister works all day) and that she would like to feel more company. About a week before this lesson we mentioned how receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost would help her with this, and it is what we receive after baptism. So on Thursday we asked her how being baptized could help her feel closer to God. She paused for literally 30 seconds, and we just sat there in silence waiting, and letting the Spirit testify to her. During this time she was staring at her Book of Mormon, and then she started to read "repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism - yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost." (2 Nephi 31:13)
The Spirit was so strong in this moment as she realized for herself that baptism will bring the Spirit and the needed company into her life. So we simply asked her... "Teodora, what can you do to receive the Holy Ghost?" and she paused for 5 seconds more, and then said "I have to be baptized". It was so powerful. The words of the prophets in the Book of Mormon can testify and do miracles that we can't, and I have gained such a strong testimony of this. She has a date for the 25th of this month and we are doing all we can to help her fully prepare!
This was just one little miracle that I wanted to share with you guys. Sorry my letters are so short but the work of the Lord must go on :) Just know I´m loving life so much and this is the greatest work I have ever been apart of. I know my Savior guides this work, I feel his presence everyday of my life and it is a blessing to feel and to know that He lives and loves everyone of his children.
Hope you have a great week! You are all in my prayers.
Love, Elder Hansen.
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