reflections//transfers//birthday week (I had to)

HOLA ❤

Two years ago today I opened up my mission call. Little did I know what was ahead of me, just knowing that I had grown up dreaming to be a missionary. When I read "Costa Rica San Jose West" my mind instantly flooded with feelings of excitement, nerves, and anxiety. I could hardly believe that my dream of going on a mission was coming true!! And I was so excited to be able to learn Spanish. In Costa Rica I learned to love, be humble, be happy and independent. I learned a lot of Spanish and how to constantly receive correction. And then, as soon as it started, it was over. 

Then I worked hard to get better. I fought and fought and fought. I felt bad for coming home, and ached to be back serving my Savior. I focused on myself, and got pain free. Then in God's good plan, He sent me to Houston. I have loved my time here. I am happiest when I am sharing the Gospel. I have met some of the best people here.

Even though these past two years haven't passed as I would have liked or expected, I just know that I needed to be sent here. God needed me here, but more importantly, I needed to be here to learn from others. I am so grateful for the support and LOVE of others. I know God has a plan for each an every one of us, and that He is so keenly aware of each of us.  

TRANSFERS aka the most intense weekend of our lives as missionaries. We got whitewashed out, Hermana Espinoza and I. I don't think I've been so sad. Six months in the same ward, you come to love the people here!! We spent like all day yesterday cleaning the apartment, because elders are coming and I could just hear my brothers saying, "sister missionary apartments have so much HAIR!" Haha so funny. And I went to Lockwood with Hermana Jacobs. She's from Orem and is super sweet! She has two transfers and her Spanish is dang good. I'm super pumped for new things and to work hard until the end :)))

God is good. He loves us and hears our prayers. I'm learning to ask what He wants and would have me do. The Gospel is true and I have seen it touch so many lives here. Love you all and have a good week!!! Next time we talk I'll be one year old and wiser too!!

Xoxox

Hermana Hansen

Packed

Packing

chick Fil a before Hna Beazer dies

Hna Beazer

love this chica

Beazer made me the cutest cake!

Houston

"oh, THAT does mean you're Mexican"

HEY GUYS 🤗

How's it going?? This week in West Lake Houston was an adventure. What even is sunshine and 80 degrees in February? Definatly loving every minute of the sun☀️💛

Remember how we were teaching a less active/recent convert named Jesus? Well we've been working so hard with him, trying to get him to come back to full activity in the Church. And I know that because of our faith and diligence, the Lord has blessed us. Jesus went to a single adult activity, and the ward party and CHURCH! It is a beautiful experience watching others come into the Gospel. 

We had a Valentine's ward party this week, and it was the best. As I sat there watching everyone dance (cause ya know, we are missionaries and can't dance but also I just really can't dance) and eating flautas (that part we are good at) my heart just filled to the brim with joy. I am grateful for the time God has allowed me to be here, and even more grateful for the small moments when I am able to feel His love for His children. It's an amazing feeling, and it's worth all the hard parts. 

Also shoutout to the Bishop's wife, Hna Ririe! She was so cute and got us a Valentine's gift from Bath and Body Works, a couple hand sanitizers and a wallflower cause our apartment was flooded and smells real bad. I love how being a a missionary makes you grateful for the little things, like a hug from your companion, good smelling things, a card from your parents or free pizza. 😉🍕

As I was getting ready the other morning, I chose to listen to a conference talk, "Was it Worth it?" By David F. Evans and it truly impacted me. He said "Some of those who need the gospel in their lives are not yet members of the Church. Some were once among us but need to feel again the joy they felt when they embraced the gospel at an earlier time in their lives. The Lord loves both the person who has never had the gospel and the person who is returning to Him. To Him and to us, it doesn’t matter. It is all one work. It is the worth of souls, whatever their condition, that is great to our Heavenly Father, His Son, and to us." And in that moment, the Spirit testified to me that it is true! He loves all of His children, and He is HAPPY with the work we are doing. And that is just about the best feeling in the world, right along there with dancing in the rain or getting a big hug from your mom. 

I love you all and I know Christ loves you. He can take you and mold you into who He wants you to be, if you allow Him. I love this Gospel with all my heart, just a little bit more than I love the Hispanic culture. And I consider it an honor to be mistaken for a Hispanic. 

Have a good week!! Love you all so much! 
Xoxox

Hermana Hansen 

LOVE HER

thx hna Ririe 

yup. 77 degrees and pouring rain. 

ready for the ward party and tacos!!

nothing can stop us, not even.....

Hellllllo from Houston!

So much has happened this week. *classic* but just wait. Last Monday we were coming home from a doctor appointment, and we were hit by a car coming at 50 mph. I was driving and as I crossed the intersection, we were t boned by a woman and her two daughters. As we collided, we did a 180 into another car, who happened to be an off duty cop. We hit our heads on the plastic above the windows, and we are still pretty sore, but other than that, we are fine, and so is the lady who hit us, although she did get a ticket for running the light. I am so grateful for our mission and the leaders that we have. Being alone here in Texas, as we got hit, and I calmed down, I wondered who would pick us up? Luckily we have awesome senior missionaries who help us so much! They got us, after about an hour of paperwork, and took us to the doctor, and then to Chik Fil A, because we haven't eaten much that day, being pday. 

I know that God protects His missionaries and that we, as His servants, are surrounded by angels to bear us up.

Speaking of that...my cute companion has learned to ride a bike here in the mission, in the short 5 months that she has been here. So as we were out riding bikes yesterday, it was raining, and Hermana Espinoza turned the corner and hit a parked car! She fell, and I was coming behind her. I'm gonna be honest, the first thing that came into my head was "oh no, she's broken her arm!" But no, she was ok. She's one tough cookie, cause she got right up and started knocking doors. 

Even with all our pains, we found joy in this week. We realized that you not only sacrifice your time, energy, personal affairs, and schooling on a mission, but also your bodies. As you give everything over to Him, I know that He can and will mold you into who He wants you to be. 

We also had a cool experience after district meeting. We went out to lunch for an hermana's birthday, and the waiter Anontio brought us our food, and then came back a few minutes later and asked us what church we worked at, because he was looking for a good one to attend. We smiled and happily told him that we have a great one to attend (and be baptized) it really made me realize how important it is to be examples and representatives of Christ wherever we are.

We are just cleaning up the area! We have been working with a few less actives, and they are now active! One even bought a car so he could drive to church each week! It's amazing having the first hand seat of watching the Atonement in other's lives, and mine as well.

I've been studying a lot about discipleship, especially with all that has happened this week, and trying to allow that these experiences change me for the better. Elder Uchtdorf said it best "Discipleship is a journey. We need the refining lessons of the journey to craft our character and purify our hearts. By patiently walking in the path of discipleship, we demonstrate to ourselves the measure of our faith and our willingness to accept God’s will rather than ours." ❤ I'm trying to allow these lessons craft my character. I know that God gives us trials to make us stronger. 

Have a great week! Love you all to so much!! 💕 thanks for all the prayers, I can feel them helping..
Xoxox

Hermana Hansen 

happy bday hna Beazer 

baby shower gifts of an investigator

jalapeños in the street #onlyinhouston

The cutest less active bought a truck 

so he could make the 30 minute drive to church every week!!! 

casual horse riding men...

"you should've seen the other guy" but really

Dear Satan, I hate your stinking guts

Hola hola family!! 

Another week has come and gone! This week, to explain my subject, has been a little rough! The Peña's officially don't want anything to do with the church and have stopped investigating. I've said it once and I'll say it again, the hardest part for me as a missionary would have to be accepting that not everyone so immediately and willingly accepts the gospel!! But everyone has their own time. 

We have this thing called "priesthood Saturday" where we go out on bikes from 10 am-12 pm and look for future priesthood holders to teach! We were on exchanges thus week, I was with hna Chartrand in her area, and we went out on bikes and of course it was pouring rain!! We got soaked, but we found some awesome potential investigators. It was actually fun to be out on bikes, in the pouring rain, sharing the gospel. Just looking for those chosen ones. I learned a lot about perseverance from hna Chartrand. We knocked SO many doors, and talked to so many people. She never gave up or complained, and it was something that I really admired about her! 

I've been studying this week a lot about faith. I love a quote from President Hinckley as he talks about his mission says "I learned in my time in London, to with faith, accept the challenge; plead with the Lord for help; and then GO TO WORK." That's so true. As we have the faith, say prayers, and go to work! We can apply that to school, work, callings and family situations. I love this work and I know that faith is key. 

Have a good week!!! I love you all.❤ 

Xoxox.

Hermana Hansen


Note - We got this email from Emily Monday evening:

HEY guys,
     I have permission to write this email. My companion and I were in a bad car accident earlier today around 4:30 pm. I was driving. We were on a frontage road, and a woman ran a red light going 40 mph (we believe she was texting) when I went through the intersection on a green light, and she t-boned us. We swerved and did a complete 180. Thank goodness to our Heavenly Father and angels watching over us, we are both ok, and the lady is at fault. We both hit our heads on the windows, but didn't break them. We went to the doctor and I got an xray on my neck. We think we will be fine. We are both very shaken up and stressed, but we are fine. My back hurts immensely, because  we were shaken as she hit us. I think it's a mixture of the stress and the accident. 
     Hopefully my back will feel better. I have a prescription being filled that I will get tomorrow. Also, please pray that our bodies can feel better, especially my back and neck. I feel sore and stiff. 
     Luckily we have awesome senior missionaries who picked us up and took us to the doctor. As I hugged Sister Hewlett in the Dr office, I just broke down and bawled, because I wanted to cry at the scene, but hna Espinoza told me "hermana, you need to calm down. You are fine." Ok yeah. It's been a long day and a total of 5 hours at the doctor. 
     I'm ok. That's what I want you to know. Just in a lot of pain. Gearing up for a full week of work!! 
     Love you. I know God protects his missionaries and that senior missionaries are SO vital to this work. 

Free pizza from a pizzeria owned by members.

The Summerwood Zone. Don't mess with us.

WML's daughter. Man she's cute. 

She always asks us if we can sleep over. haha

When you don't have time for dinner, you eat in bed at 9:15.

Hma Chartrand - biking in the rain.