I want to start by saying how much I love each and every one of you! My family brings me so much joy. I know without a shadow of a doubt that families are important- we are placed in families for a reason and families are an eternal principle.
I really wan to start off with conference but I will try to go in order of my week.
We had a lesson with Chris again this week. We taught about the nature of God. Growing up as a Catholic, he fears God and doesn't feel he can be open in his prayers with God. It was a great lesson! Sister Schlag, the Bishop's wife, asked him what he thought of God (an inspired question). Chris had believed all his life that God was a ball of energy or just all around in the air. It is quite comforting for me to know that my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are physical beings; I am like them! As we were walking out the door, something came up and we said "investigator", not even referring to Chris. Chris said "what's an investigator?" Uhhh.... You actually! Then he joked saying that he was under a microscope but then I said, actually, we are the ones under the microscope for you and you are the scientist. Our church terminology! I have never had that happen before and Sister Davis and I laughed about it later! Then, the next day, Chris texted us and said, "I want you to know that your efforts are not lost on me. I really do appreciate the time you and your fellow sisters have taken to help me through this difficult time. While I have been an 'investigator' in other churches and religions in recent months, I have been mostly impressed by you and your Sisters so far." Friday night, we had a ward fiesta and auction and Sister Schlag said that of all the investigators she taught even on her mission, she has never seen someone as sincere as Chris. Wow! Now, she has told us that her mission was super hard and hearing that made me think a.) I can't imagine serving in the Czech Republic! b.) I am so grateful that she has the opportunity now to be a part of Chris' learning experience and c.) She should see Femi!!
Speaking of Femi, you all want to know about Femi's baptism. Where should I begin.
Friday night I checked my Facebook and had a message from Femi- that is odd. In the message he explained his sincerest apologies that he would have to postpone his baptism. At first I thought it was because of his family's visas being denied (which he explained in the message) and he would be too busy and stressed on Saturday and Sunday filing paperwork and transferring money. Femi also mentioned that his wife was in disagreement for continuing at this time and again I thought it was because she felt that filing paperwork over again was a priority. I was very upset with Satan over this because I knew that that was something that overall shouldn't get in the way of his baptism.
Further talking to Femi on Saturday revealed to us an entirely different matter of which we thought we would have to get President Anderson involved. This I then completely understood and felt bad for thinking so selfishly the day before. He asked for our advise and all we could say was to seek Priesthood counseling.
Further talking to Femi on Sunday revealed to us that he is not currently practicing or in a manner of behaving in such a way that the President would need to get involved- slight miscommunication and slight him not telling us everything and we were trying to fill in the blanks over this confidential matter. It sufficeth me to say that it is in between the two above mentioned reasonings. There is one aspect that Femi's wife is worried about and not entirely agrees with. Femi wants to be able to support and side with her but he can't fully. He doesn't want to break his family apart. We don't want that either. He knows that he will have to fully live up to his covenant with baptism and needs his wife to back him up. Femi told us that he knows the church is true. He watched all of the conference sessions. Everyone believes he will eventually be baptized. I do too but he won't until his family comes to America, which Femi said will not be until June and chances are that I won't be able to be a part of it. Selfish reasoning, I know. But I love him and I have been so grateful and blessed to be a part of his life and conversion.
I love General Conference!! It was over way too fast!! We watched all 4 at the church building. Moira watched the first one with us. It is always so hard to choose just one favorite. President Uchtdorf is always a favorite. If I had to choose one favorite, it might be Elder Hollands. He got right in our faces again!! It also helps that he was the very first speaker and so it constantly stayed in my mind. Among all of his words, my favorite quote is "Christlike love is the greatest need we have on this planet." Amen! I also loved Elder Zwick; "What were you thinking?!"-- what matters is listening to understand.
I actually studies about this in Preach My Gospel this morning. I read the sections Asking Questions and Listening. In Harrington, at one of our District meetings, we were told "they don't care that you know until they know that you care." I know listening is so important. They are listening to us and they deserve just as much attention. This can be applied to a bigger spectrum that when we pray, Heavenly Father is listening to us. Are we listening to Him? Elder Holland has a quote in there that says that listening is even more important than speaking. Sometimes I get caught up in awkward silences, but in those silences, they can better hear and listen to the Holy Ghost. Same in our lives. The world is noisy and we have so many things competing for our attention that the still small voice of the Spirit can easily get drowned out. We, including me, need to follow Jesus Christ's words to "Be still." I know that by so doing, we will see marvelous things, even miraculous things.
Elder Ballard was excellent in asking us to follow up on the commitments he gave us in 2011 and in 2013. That was a great example of me of how important it is for me to follow up with my investigators and members with the commitments we leave them. I drew a neat diagram in my journal during Elder Bednar's talk. I will send a picture of it but I want to some how design a church poster or something with this idea.
All in all, let us follow the prophet when he talked about love. Think it. Speak it. Do it.
There is a fantastic article in this month's Ensign about following the prophet that I read this morning and I encourage you all to read it too!
https://www.lds.org/ensign/
I really wan to start off with conference but I will try to go in order of my week.
We had a lesson with Chris again this week. We taught about the nature of God. Growing up as a Catholic, he fears God and doesn't feel he can be open in his prayers with God. It was a great lesson! Sister Schlag, the Bishop's wife, asked him what he thought of God (an inspired question). Chris had believed all his life that God was a ball of energy or just all around in the air. It is quite comforting for me to know that my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are physical beings; I am like them! As we were walking out the door, something came up and we said "investigator", not even referring to Chris. Chris said "what's an investigator?" Uhhh.... You actually! Then he joked saying that he was under a microscope but then I said, actually, we are the ones under the microscope for you and you are the scientist. Our church terminology! I have never had that happen before and Sister Davis and I laughed about it later! Then, the next day, Chris texted us and said, "I want you to know that your efforts are not lost on me. I really do appreciate the time you and your fellow sisters have taken to help me through this difficult time. While I have been an 'investigator' in other churches and religions in recent months, I have been mostly impressed by you and your Sisters so far." Friday night, we had a ward fiesta and auction and Sister Schlag said that of all the investigators she taught even on her mission, she has never seen someone as sincere as Chris. Wow! Now, she has told us that her mission was super hard and hearing that made me think a.) I can't imagine serving in the Czech Republic! b.) I am so grateful that she has the opportunity now to be a part of Chris' learning experience and c.) She should see Femi!!
Speaking of Femi, you all want to know about Femi's baptism. Where should I begin.
Friday night I checked my Facebook and had a message from Femi- that is odd. In the message he explained his sincerest apologies that he would have to postpone his baptism. At first I thought it was because of his family's visas being denied (which he explained in the message) and he would be too busy and stressed on Saturday and Sunday filing paperwork and transferring money. Femi also mentioned that his wife was in disagreement for continuing at this time and again I thought it was because she felt that filing paperwork over again was a priority. I was very upset with Satan over this because I knew that that was something that overall shouldn't get in the way of his baptism.
Further talking to Femi on Saturday revealed to us an entirely different matter of which we thought we would have to get President Anderson involved. This I then completely understood and felt bad for thinking so selfishly the day before. He asked for our advise and all we could say was to seek Priesthood counseling.
Further talking to Femi on Sunday revealed to us that he is not currently practicing or in a manner of behaving in such a way that the President would need to get involved- slight miscommunication and slight him not telling us everything and we were trying to fill in the blanks over this confidential matter. It sufficeth me to say that it is in between the two above mentioned reasonings. There is one aspect that Femi's wife is worried about and not entirely agrees with. Femi wants to be able to support and side with her but he can't fully. He doesn't want to break his family apart. We don't want that either. He knows that he will have to fully live up to his covenant with baptism and needs his wife to back him up. Femi told us that he knows the church is true. He watched all of the conference sessions. Everyone believes he will eventually be baptized. I do too but he won't until his family comes to America, which Femi said will not be until June and chances are that I won't be able to be a part of it. Selfish reasoning, I know. But I love him and I have been so grateful and blessed to be a part of his life and conversion.
I love General Conference!! It was over way too fast!! We watched all 4 at the church building. Moira watched the first one with us. It is always so hard to choose just one favorite. President Uchtdorf is always a favorite. If I had to choose one favorite, it might be Elder Hollands. He got right in our faces again!! It also helps that he was the very first speaker and so it constantly stayed in my mind. Among all of his words, my favorite quote is "Christlike love is the greatest need we have on this planet." Amen! I also loved Elder Zwick; "What were you thinking?!"-- what matters is listening to understand.
I actually studies about this in Preach My Gospel this morning. I read the sections Asking Questions and Listening. In Harrington, at one of our District meetings, we were told "they don't care that you know until they know that you care." I know listening is so important. They are listening to us and they deserve just as much attention. This can be applied to a bigger spectrum that when we pray, Heavenly Father is listening to us. Are we listening to Him? Elder Holland has a quote in there that says that listening is even more important than speaking. Sometimes I get caught up in awkward silences, but in those silences, they can better hear and listen to the Holy Ghost. Same in our lives. The world is noisy and we have so many things competing for our attention that the still small voice of the Spirit can easily get drowned out. We, including me, need to follow Jesus Christ's words to "Be still." I know that by so doing, we will see marvelous things, even miraculous things.
Elder Ballard was excellent in asking us to follow up on the commitments he gave us in 2011 and in 2013. That was a great example of me of how important it is for me to follow up with my investigators and members with the commitments we leave them. I drew a neat diagram in my journal during Elder Bednar's talk. I will send a picture of it but I want to some how design a church poster or something with this idea.
All in all, let us follow the prophet when he talked about love. Think it. Speak it. Do it.
There is a fantastic article in this month's Ensign about following the prophet that I read this morning and I encourage you all to read it too!
https://www.lds.org/ensign/
I love you all so so so much! I hope you know it!
Love,
Sister Hanson
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