Missionaries = Camels

It is officially spring!!!!  My favorite time of the year!!

I am officially at the hump of the mission.  Sister Davis' mom sent her a story about how missionaries should be like camels.  What is the hump of the camel?  It is where supplies are stored for the journey.  All the knowledge we have gained have all led us to where we are now on our missions and need to be put into full use and force for the rest of the mission.  Camels bow to their knees for their masters.  Their knees are padded for such an action.  We too need to bow to our needs to our Master in prayer and humility.  A camel's eyes are up high so they can scan ahead just as missionaries should have their eyes continually looking forward and high.  It was a great article and I was so grateful that she shared it with me!

Femi is still doing great!  We had another Skype lesson on Wednesday with one of our ward missionaries, Sister Shelton.  We taught the 10 Commandments.  Femi said that he knows the commandments weren't given to us for God's sake but for ours and that we have the Holy Ghost to help us obey them.  We had another lesson at the Jenson's home yesterday with more of an emphasis on the commandments of keeping the Sabbath Day holy, studying the scriptures, and praying often.  Femi explained perfectly the importance of reading and praying.  He said that he has a pattern of prayer: "thanksgiving, pleading for repentance, and asking for assistance" or in some cases asking for forgiveness should come first.  Then he asked us how our patterns are?  You got it Femi!  We also talked about how the Holy Ghost can help direct us as we pray.  Brother Jenson is also so fantastic that while on his business trip this week to San Diego, he went to the church bookstore and bought Femi a quad and a mini hymnbook, both with his name on them.  Femi was so happy and grateful!  When we told him to open up to a scripture on the Book of Mormon on page 173, or something, he opened up to 173 of the Old Testament and was confused.  We then explained all the books and he thought that it was so neat to have the Bible combined with the Book of Mormon!  I love that we can have all of the scriptures be one in our hands!!

We were able to teach Manuela for the first time this week.  She is so great!  Manuela has been searching for a while for a church.  When asked what she was looking for in a church, she said one that she knows she will be able to fully live up to.  That is a great example for us all!  She even came to a missionary's "farewell" dinner on Friday!  As I said last week, she is from Austria and speaks German.  We downloaded the Gospel Library App to her phone in German and she said that this would make it easier for her to read at work.  At the dinner, we introduced her to our bishop, Bishop Schlag.  His heritage is from Germany and he served a mission in Germany and spoke to her a little bit it German!  She thought that was neat!  I did too!!  We are doing a Family Home Evening tonight at the Richard's house and Manuela and the kids will be there.  We are playing a game like "Life" but based around the Plan of Salvation.  Back in Harrington, we started brainstorming a game like this but never made it.  Sister Davis and I decided to give it a try.  Boy it was harder to make than I originally expected!  After is it finished, I will take a picture and send it to you.  I hope that it turns out okay!

This weekend was Stake Conference and the topic was on Hastening the Work of Salvation- always love the subject!  Carolyn was asked to speak on her conversion story and she did an awesome job!  She was so nervous but she was great!  It was her first time speaking.  As always, Sister and President Anderson were great!  Elder Robbins of the Seventy was there and was Excellent!  He made an emphasis on making connections rather than contacting people.  This means putting forth increased love.  That is how it should be!  These are our brothers and sisters; our family.  We should love them.  He told some crazy stories about how people were lead to be introduced to the church and it was similar to an article I read in the Ensign this morning: https://www.lds.org/liahona/2014/03/young-adults/inviting-success?lang=eng

For the mission, we are doing a March Madness competition each week and this week was new investigators.  We didn't do so hot.  We have such a hard time finding people.  From day to day we tried former investigators or potentials but they were either not home or not interested.  I need to get more creative but it is a lot harder than I thought!  This week we will be doing a lot of service and I hope and pray that we will be able to have more doors opened to us.

Next Monday we are planning on spend the day in Philadelphia with Moira.  The weather is supposed to be great and we want to go before transfers.  If this happens, I won't be on at more normal time unless the Touch and Feel Museum has wifi that we can use.  Otherwise I probably won't email until lunch or dinner where we can find a place that will supply us with wifi.  Just as a heads up!

General Conference is right around the corner!  Are you ready? I know I am!  I always love listening to our prophets speak to us.  I am going to try handing out the quote by President Monson that we had done last General Conference.  Whether it is tracking or whether it is asking to share a quote of the day walking around, I hope that someone will have an interest sparked to listen or watch for a least a little bit.

I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope that you all have a fantastic week!

Love, Sister Hanson

Frozen is out on DVD hahaha....yeah...What does Sister Davis think of me?

Moira and Carolyn - recent converts as of last September and October, I believe.  I love these gals!

Out to dinner at Panera before Stake Conference.

Girls and Sister Anderson

Mom,

We were at Sister Cain's house this week and she got this new blender bullet thing to make us healthy ice cream/smoothie stuff and for some recipes it calls for cacao and I had to laugh at the description for it and thought you would too!