The Book of Mormon is the Word of God

Hola HIJOS DEL MAÍZ.

So this week something cool happened in our family group of Teopisca.... we had a our full 3 hours of church for the first time EVER!!!! Hermano A. constructed another little log house to the side of our casita de oracion, so we now have room for classes! The 2nd counselor from the rama came down and set apart teachers for Sunday School and Relief Society! They have never taught a class before... and don't know the doctrine very well...so it was a little interesting! Haha! But poco un poco..... It was great! 

This week I finished el Libro de Mormón for the first time completely in Spanish and the second time on my mission. It was great. I was able to pray and ask if it was true (as always). It was interesting because I remember almost a year ago when I finished it the first time... I didn't get my answer right away. I actually got my answer about 3 days later when my companion Hermana Juarez was bearing her testimony, and I also recieved a confirmation from the Holy Spirit that it was indeed true. 

But this time, as I knelt praying, I received an immediate answer that I honestly wasn't expecting!! That "burning in your chest" that everyone talks about but I honestly never really feel... (I feel the spirit in different ways generally) testified to me that it was true right then and there!! It was a cool experience, because I really learned that God responds according to OUR needs and HIS will. I learned later why it was wise that I received my answer so immediately in this form.

A few days later, we were with Hermana I... an investigator that has passed through way too many trials in her life. Honestly, she's probably had one of the hardest lives I've ever heard of. Because of this, she is very psychological and has a tendency to over analyze everything. She has a lot of knowledge, but very little faith. 

Hermana I. told us that because of our young age our hearts and intentions were pure. But she was sure that as we grew up and experienced and suffered more we would change our mind about our religion, find ourselves in another place, and change religions according to how we changed. Then we would find that another religion was "true to us". She said because we grew up in the religion, we had been brainwashed and didn't know anything else. I WAS SO FRUSTRATED. 

So I did the only thing I could. I testified. 

I held up the Book of Mormon and said, "With all due respect, Sister, you are completely wrong. Maybe we are young. I'm sure we haven't suffered or experienced all that you have, and maybe we never will. But something I know for sure is that there is only one true church, and it's this church. And I know that because of this Book. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. It contains the secret to your happiness in this world and the life to come. Maybe we don't know everything, but at least we know this. And I challenge you to come find me in 50 years. Find me. And you will find that I still will be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, in this very same religion. Because the Holy Ghost has told me that this Book is true. Yes, I was born in this church. But I had to find and receive my very own testimony. I didn't always believe. But I was humble enough to read and ask. And if you will just humble yourself, and open your heart a bit, and ask...you will also find that it's true. It will change your whole life! But it's up to you. I know it's true. In the name of Jesus Christ. AMEN."

Hermana Hansen

Escogidos to the Max!

Cambiosssss and Hermana Ortega and I are still together in Bonanza! Best news ever cuz she's the best comp in the world. We did a list of things that we have in common, and found over 50 weird things.... like we both threw up after we got our wisdom teeth out. COMPAÑERISMA DIVINA PIÑA

  

Sad news is there are a lot of changes in our zone. They closed an area so we lost some of our Hermanas. Elder Brass finished so we are getting a new zone leader. :( We will miss him so much!! He's like our brother. This cambio with my familia de Tap Mex has been a great one, full of miracles and new ideas. We are a zone of action, and hopefully we can take all we learned and keep it up. I will miss this transfer. It might have been the best one of my mission so far...but there are more great things to come!!!!

Farewell to Elder Brass our zone leader

One of the best things to see this week has been the progression of our golden investigators Hermnao H. and his son. I've seen escogidos before... but never THIS escogido. Hermano H. came to church 2 times before he met us. The first time a friend brought him, but told him he needed to go to his own ward. So, the next Sunday she sent him to the right building, but at the wrong time! He got there at 8 AM but our ward doesnt start until 11 AM! So he waited for an hour, attended the ward at 9, and then stuck around to finish out our ward until 2! 

He has such a strong testimony already, and his 14 year old son does as well. When we were scheduling our next appointment with them, we said, "Is it okay if we stop by in 3 days?"

His son said, "THAT LONG?!" 

Haha! He's always outside playing futbol with his friends, and always comes running in and stops playing just for the lessons! They always set up a little table out back, and give us bolis, and always send us home with tamales de chipilin! It's so awesome, cuz we are used to teaching on dirty broken chairs or piles of laundry or buckets usually. They are the best ever.

They are both reading the Book of Mormon and know that it's true. Our experience with them so far has really shown me that GOD PREPARES HIS CHILDREN. We do not need to force people to listen to our message, or to go to church, because there really are escogidos waiting for us. 

Love you all! 

Hermana Hansen

The Book of Mormon is True

 
We had interviews with Presidente this week again!!! Which means instead of quiz me about random normal missionary interview stuff like the law of chastity, I got to talk with presidente for almost an hour as he shared his secret stash of chocolates and gave me advice. Yeah, I love Papa George.

Stopped into visit the G Family from Central

This week was full of two more ant explosions, three crazy rainstorms, rivers en la calle, mole and pozol (like the best Mexican dish everrrr), fasting miracles, and (sadly) dropping investigators. 

 I think what I learned most this week is just how important the Book of Mormon is, and my testimony has grown from it. During this week as we were pondering on what stopped our investigator from getting baptized, we realized that the real problem was her lack of a testimony of the Book of Mormon. The worst part is.... we KNEW that she didn't have a strong testimony of it. (oops)

 But, she was coming to church, accepting all the other lessons so nicely, and had such a strong desire to get baptized that we kind of pushed it to the side. We focused on teaching her the commandments... so she could be ready for the baptism interview...instead of focusing in the real problem. That's why everything fell through at the last minute.

Even though she had been going to church every week, praying, and had received a vision where she felt like this is the church she should join..... she doesn't believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. Her biggest doubt was, "And where does it talk about Joseph Smith or the Book of Mormon in the bible? LA BIBLIA ES ÚNICA!" (The Bible is the only truth)

Although we can show her evidence, scriptures in the bible that talk about the Book of Mormon.... she wont accept any of it...because she never ever even once prayed to know if the Book of Mormon is true. Sure, she prayed about the church. But, never once about the Book of Mormon. And she said she never will. She won't ask God that question because the Bible is única. And if she doesn't ask, we can't do anything more to help her. 

So fun to see Mama C and her crew from Central again!

As we explained her all of this in our "drop talk"... how we could still be her friends but until she made the decision to pray about the Book of Mormon we couldn't help her any further...she got super upset. She screamed at us, "Me duele mamitas ! Estan cortando me a mi corazon!" (you hurt me, you're cutting my heart) And I thought of all the times in the Book of Mormon, when a prophet speaks the truth, and the people feel as if something has cut their heart, because it's true and they are denying it...and all of her comments made sense. She's denying the truth. She's felt the truth, and that's why she's saying it hurts her. 

Visited with Hermano A from my last area

For me, my testimony soared as this point. I now know again without a doubt that the Book of Mormon is true, because I can see its prophecies coming to pass right before my eyes.

Baptism! Of a kid in the ward who turned 8. (No, we didnt teach him. Don't get excited haha)

On a better note, the power of fasting is real, and also our authority as missionaries is real. We promised Hermano J in the name of Jesus Christ that if he fasted, went to church, and studied his heart out that he would pass all of his super hard medical exams. And he did!

A lot of people questioned us, "Why would you promise him he will pass?? You guys cant do that!" But we knew that if he followed the steps we gave him that he would pass. Christ can do anything, and we promised it in His name. Now, it's just up to Hermano J. to act on his newfound answer. Hopefully his answer will strengthen his testimony, and we can help him get baptized pronto. 

Tuxtla Rainstorm

LOVE YOU ALL 

Hermana Hansen 

Enjoy more photos from Hermana Hansen's week 

Bolis with Hermano Carlos, Hermana Luis, and Hermana E!

Ant explosion round 3...but this time with giant ants with wings

 Crossing the gross sewer water river to change into our water shoes hahaha

 

 The view from Hermana Luis apartment!