I dedicate this one to the Familia Villarreal

hiiii everyone!!💕

This week. It was amazing. God allowed us to see SO many miracles, that truly changed a lot. We saw some help from the ward this week, and it was the best. 

Ok so Tuesday night Hno Villarreal and Hno Rendon went to visit the Peñas, and we were both really nervous because they haven't been open to having members in their house, and we haven't heard from them for about a week and a half. But Hno Villarreal called us after and told us all about it, and basically that they just felt pressured to be baptized, and that they actually do want to follow Christ and be baptized, just in their own time. They then brought the kids (Daniel and Angie) to mutual! 

We then had the most amazing, powerful lesson with Hno and Hna Villarreal on Thursday night. We were so nervous, not having seen them in a week and a half. But it was PURRRRFECT. 😻 The members were exactly what they needed, and their testimonies lit up the room. The spirit was so strong. We talked about the importance of the Holy Ghost after we are baptized, and following the example of Christ. It was amazing and I know that we could not have done it without the help of the ward :)

We are working with a couple, helping them prepare to enter the temple, and we always offer to help the hermana with anything, because she's a teacher and pregnant 💕 So we always tell her to call us to help her with anything, and she always says "you guys should not be helping me, when you should be baptizing people! Call me when you get a baptism, then you can come help." (The same hermana who says that the BOM is a novela) Man, I love her a whole lot. I'm just slowly giving my heart away, piece by piece....

We had a great lesson last night with a recent convert of a few years who has gone inactive. We stopped by, and he confessed to us of doing some things, and we had a great lesson about our agency and following the commandments. At the end, my powerhouse of a comp says "hermano, le invitamos a que se arrepienta y se ponga sus investiduras de nuevo" and honestly it hit me, as missionaries, we are acting in the name of Christ, to invite others to repent. It's simple, but it's not easy. It was powerful and the spirit was so strong. Later he gave us arroz con leche and yogurt, so we're pretty sure he's into the repentance process. 

I LOVE serving my Savior here in Texas. I learned this week that "Ordinances and covenants are building blocks we use to construct our lives upon the foundation of Christ and His Atonement." -Elder Bednar 💕 I know that as we faithfully keep our covenants we have made with our Father in Heaven, we will be happier and have more peace and direction in this life. Love you all!! 

You already know....read the best novela daily this week and I promise you will feel more peace!!! 

Xoxox

Hermana Hansen 

shoutout to my dad for teaching me how to fill tires up with air 2 years ago

investigadores and puppies

more investigadores and puppies

making slime with our favorites 

it's been 18 months since I started the best journey ever

thx hna espinoza for buying me Olive Garden for my 13 months a while ago

We went out on our bikes this week to talk to more people. It worked!

"I'm gonna make this place your home"

HELLLLO EVERYONE!!

After a hard week, my heart is so full with gratitude. I am happy to be here as a missionary. It's crazy how even with all the rejection, sadness, and heartache how HAPPY this work makes me!!! 

Nothing much to really tell about this week, except that we are working to find new people to teach! We had to drop our car off at the shop this week and walk back to our apartment, and it brought me back to my Costa Rica days, walking in the street with my companion. :)))

We were at our ward mission leaders house on Sunday having correlation, and his little daughter came out and brought us a doll comb, and asked us to brush her hair. She also came out wearing unicorn fuzzy slippers. When I asked her if I could wear it, she said "Your feet are too big, you would stretch them out!!" 

We've been working with a less active names Jesus. (Hence the phone picture) and he's made some new years goals to stop drink and smoking, and he's sticking to these goals!! We had a lesson about the importance of prayer and the priesthood, and we even got a member out with us, who was able to share his testimony about the priesthood!! It's amazing to see the Atonement change and mold his life! 

I read a talk this morning "Forget Me Not" from President Utchdorf and I love what he said - "Sisters, there is something inspiring and sublime about the little forget-me-not flower. I hope it will be a symbol of the little things that make your lives joyful and sweet." As I've been enjoying every moment this week, I've been able to enjoy the little things in life that make it so sweet. 

Have a good week and as always, make sure to say your prayers and read the best novela there is!!!

Xoxox

Hermana Hansen

worse than a breakup text

HELLLOOOOO,
Sorry to keep you all waiting an extra day for my email ;) We had transfers this week and....I'm staying here with Hna Espinoza!! And I'll have served 6 months here in West Lake! 

This week was loco. First, everyone told us yesterday that the schools were closed today because of a crazy ice storm, and I didn't believe them! But then during the morning, the snow/ice came! It was crazy! We go out to our car, and it's covered in ice! Luckily I was raised in Utah, so we grabbed wooden spatulas and went to work. Of course it was the one day I go outside with wet hair....it was quite the adventure. Everyone was lying when they said that I would just need a "light jacket" here in Houston. 

Sometimes in life we experience joy, pain, sadness, anger and guidance. I've felt so deeply the sadness of having an investigator tell you that she's not interested anymore. We aren't going to give up, but honestly, the text was worse than any break up I could ever experience. I've felt the joy of sitting by two of the strongest women I've grown to love here during sacrament meeting. I've grown to be more and more angry at Satan and how he can grasp people's hearts. I've felt the guidance of our Savior Jesus Christ. 

High note this week: the Garza Family, the less actives we have been working with, came to church this week! During a lesson on Tuesday, we were talking about the Book of Mormon, and the wife, who is a convert of six years, says "The Book of Mormon is just like a novela!! I can't put it down" We laughed for a solid three minutes about that. :) 

I've been studying the Book of Mormon more in depth as well, and I do know with all my heart that it was written by prophets on the olden days. It was written thousands and thousands of years ago, yet it can apply to our day. I know that "I am nothing, and I my strength I am weak" Alma 26:12 and that as we exercise faith in Our Savior, He will carry us through our trials and more importantly, all the way to the Celestial Kingdom. 

Have a good week!!! Love you all and please keep the Peña family in your prayers!! 
Xoxo

Hermana Hansen 

back at it again with the sunsets, Texas

gotta improvise

happy birthday Jacob Peña

wall art 

13 months!! 

these dogs were going to eat us 

second home

Hello everyone!!

I wish I could say that the subject line I meant that my second home in Houston...but it's really Chik-fil-a.  The manager even recognizes us at this point. 😅

This week was one of the harder ones I've had here in THE mission. It was just rough, we tried like everyone and their mom, but no one opened to us. It's was tough, but I'm slowly learning that everything I experience here is for my good and eternal progression. I've learned more than ever that God hears and answers our prayers, cares for us and loves us more than we can imagine. I can't imagine being anywhere else but here, being a missionary in Channelview, Texas.

We are working with the Peña Family, and they are doing Awesome! If everything goes to plan, they will be baptized on the 28th!! They are the best, we just love them so much!! :) Keep them in your prayers, that they can have the support and courage to take this step!!

We were in the middle of nowhere the other week, and we had to use the bathroom, so we went into CVS, and as we were walking out, Hermana Espinoza saw a Reeses egg, and grabbed it and squished it! I told her she had to buy it now, so she did and as she handed the squished egg to the cashier, she said "Sorry, I was just SO excited to eat it!" We laughed for a good while about that. 

I love being a missionary, even when days are long and hard! I read a talk this week called "Desire" by Elder Oaks and it was amazing! He said something that has stuck with me all week "Readjusting our desires to give highest priority to the things of eternity is not easy, but when we have a vision of what we can become, our desire and our power to act increase enormously." It's so true! And how I love that we have the guidance and knowledge that we know what our ultimate goal is! :) We know who we want to become. And that helps me daily as I serve my Maker. 

Have a good week! It's about 60 degrees here, so I'm a happy little missionary:)) Be sure to read your Book of Mormon daily!!! Love you all, thanks for the support ❤❤❤

Xoxox

Hermana Hansen

hermanas decorate even the car :)

I love Abella.

a couple pdays ago! Made me miss my swimming days

awesome RC that came tracting with us!

tacos straight from Mexico

a member showed us this....is it a hint orrr? Haha

FELIZ AÑO NUEVO 🎉🎉

Happy New year!! I hope 2018 is filled with miracles, happiness, and goals!!😊💛

Let's start off this new year with a funny, awkward, missionary story. So Saturday afternoon, we grabbed Subway for dinner because we were so booked all night we had about 30 minutes to eat something for dinner, and while we were eating, one of the guys who js always around our apartment complex came into Subway. He saw Hermana Espinoza praying over our food, and came and told us that he was so impressed with her. Well then hna Espinoza had to go to the bathroom, so I was obviously outside the door waiting. The same man (keep in mind he's about 45 and homeless) came up to me and starting going on about Hermana Espinoza's dimple, and what a catch she is. He probs went on for a good 5 minutes, and asked if we were sisters and if she was taken .... needless to say it was the longest conversation I've had about my companion without her actually being there. Lol I have gotten to be that really awkward missionary!!

We are working with this beautiful family, la familia Peña. It's a mom and her 2 kids. They are the BEST. We taught 2 awesome lessons with them this week, and we even started to teach the mom's boyfriend! As we finished teaching one night, Jacob (the little boy) just told us "I want to get baptized hermanas!!" And we just hugged him right then and there and said we would do everything possible to make it happen. He's such a cutie. (Sorry hna Espinoza he's mine) 

We ate a huge Mexican hamburger this week! Sorry dad, but your hamburgers are babies compared to what we ate! It was huge and it even had queso brought from Monterrey! We might have a heart attack because of it though lol. We also ate pancakes as huge as our heads!! It was eventful lol

So we found a cute young couple who are less active, and it was a miracle finding them. We've now been teaching them for about 3 weeks, and on Saturday we visited them and they told us that they want to be able to come back to church. The wife (a recent convert) is pregnant and she wants the baby to be born in the church. They also want to be sealed in the temple before the baby is born in May!! They are the coolest and we are living working with them!!

Man, I cannot believe it's 2018!! The Lord has taught me so much the past year about His timing, the Atonement, and the importance of daily scripture study. I love my Savior, and the fact that He makes it all possible. I am so happy for this year to come, and for the chance we have to set new goals and be able to reach them with God's help. I am so happy to be here working in THE mission with my cutie como Hna Espinoza. 💕💕

xoxox

Hermana Hansen

the hamburger 

the pancakes...

Will you chose to follow Him this year? 

Buñuelos!!

Selfie Sunday

Selfie Sunday

Feliz año nuevo!!!!