It's October

Family!

Wow, time is legitimately flying by right now! I just can't believe that in just a short couple of days it's OCTOBER! Before I start out on my letter though....HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAN-MAN! Love you and miss you. I hope you had/are having the best birthday yet in Georgia of all places! :)

So this week:

TUESDAY:District meeting, new investigator, and taking Sister Leavitt around to say good-bye to alot of the members.
WEDNESDAY: Sister Leavitt left me, but Sister Romney made it here safe. We spent most of the day inside, visioning and getting to know each other better.
THURSDAY: Weekly Planning days. We met the Elders for lunch, set a goal of 10 baptisms in our branch this week, walked 40 minutes to raid an old mission apartment for bikes and food, then planned like mad the rest of the day. 
FRIDAY: 2 lessons, one new investigator. Such a busy day it seemed like. Also the day I biffed it hard core.
SATURDAY: The day spent at the KDC. We had a branch primary activity that we got to help out with. It was a blast, a treasure hunt, airplane constructing, bowling pin painting activity. I love my branch so much. I just can't say that enough. I absolute love them! Afterwards we got to meet with a referral from my branch president and was able to get another new investigator. She is so prepared and so sweet. Afterwards my Elders had a baptism. 

FUNNY STORIES:

The Airport Mishap: This is actually from 2 weeks ago on the way to zone conference, but I am horrible at sending out large e-mails soo....Anyways I get so flustered every time I fly due to immigration and not being in missionary clothes and not getting to wear my tag...it's just so stressful. So immediately after we get our baggage we go straight to the bathroom to put on our proselyting clothes and tag. While I was in the restroom I put down my passport and the phone in the stall. We leave the bathroom meet up with all the missionaries outside of the airport. I went to go check my phone to call my R.C. I went to visit and I could not find it anywhere! I was terrified. I turn to Sister Leavitt and manage to spit out that I can't find my passport or our hand-phone, I said that I must have left it on the other side of security in the restroom. We both look at each other and make a run for it. We kick our shoes off and our name tags obviously and try to make a break for it through the security doors. We made it about two steps when the alarm goes off  through the whole airport! we get caught and are escorted to the information desk. They blasted my name through the entire airport, I was mortified, all the missionaries heard. No passport was found. I go back sit by my luggage and all the sudden I hear the phone ringing. IT WAS IN MY BAG THE WHOLE TIME! I AM SUCH AN AIRHEAD!  I felt so silly, but I set the alarms off in Singapore so that was pretty cool.

That One Time I got a Rock Stuck in my Arm:

This is a real quick story. On our way to a potential appointment, we saw the person we were going to meet driving...in the opposite direction of our appointment....determined to not let him get away I started screaming, "BRYAN, BRYAN, HI, HI, HI, HI," all while obnoxiously waving. That was when I learned in order to properly break you need to use both hands to stop both tires. My back tire flew over the front end of the bike and I catapulted into the sky. Haha I blacked out for about two seconds, enough time for blood to gush all over my white shirt, I was ticked. Luckily we were in front of the chapel, unluckily it was new missionary training and the mission president and his wife was there. I am all good now, just bruised up a bit, but I should get a pretty gnarly scar on my elbow. :)

WEIRD FOOD:

Sting Ray-so exotic. It didn't taste like how I imagined, it was just so normal, but still I can say I ate sting ray now! :)

Lamb-Ok, not that weird, but I just felt so guilty every time I ate a piece.

MIRACLE:

Saturday my amazing Elders had a baptism for one of their investigators, which in itself is a miracle,but even better than that Sister Romney and I had 5 investigators come to witness the baptism. We only teach 7 people, so I was legitimately shocked when they all came! Not only did they come, but they were there because members invited them, not us. We were so behind the ball this last week due to transfers, but our members really pulled through for us! 5 investigators, ahhh so cool. It's going to be a white christmas here in Kuching, We are going to be filling that font everyday.

We also got 3 new investigators this week. We are just being so so blessed!

DO THIS:

So I started a prayer journal this week after realizing my testimony about prayer is not the strongest...which is just not ok as a missionary. It's Phenomenal. In the morning I study for about 5 minutes about prayer, why we pray, and so on. Then I write down what I am praying for. At night I write down how that prayer was answered that day. Obviously I don't pray for anything crazy, but I do pray for things that are slightly out of my complete control. Every night I have notice my prayers were completely answered that day. Since I've started it, when I testify about prayer in lessons I speak with a lot more conviction, but in addition to that I just feel so much closer to my Heavenly Father which brings a multiplicity of blessings along with it. I would challenge all of you to start a prayer journal. 

Sorry. This letter was rushed, especially writing about the individual days. This transfer is starting off right and I am so excited to be a part of the miracles here is Kuching for another transfer. Getting a new companion is always an adjustment, especially since I loved Sister Leavitt so so much. However I know that my new companionship with Sister Romney is very inspired. We are going to kill it these next 6 weeks!

Things are good, I'm loving life.

I never want to leave East Malaysia.

Sister Emma Lou Hansen

This week. Ayo.

Monday: This Monday will go down in history as the most boring P-day in the history of the Singapore Mission. Haha it was not my favorite, we spent the day at the KDC talking with a couple of the Elders who weren't playing the "elders only basketball game." Once we had decided to go home and catch up on sleep in perfect Malaysia fashion it began to down pour and we were stuck! It really wasn't that bad, we were able to get to know a couple of the Elders better, but I am determined to not do that again. 

Tuesday: District Meeting Days are always the best days. After another great meeting we took our new Cina elders out to meet a Less active who only speaks Cina or Malay. No English. She is the best though, I absolutely adore her, and I want her to come back so badly. She said that the reason she does not attend church anymore is because she has no friends. Heart-breaking. Anyways we took the elders to go and see her and learned that she doesn't speak Mandarin at all she speaks a different dialect called Hakkien. The elders tried so hard to teach her and to help her understand but could not. We could tell she was really sad and frustrated that she was unable to understand so we took her to Ice Cream! Once again in perfect Malaysia fashion it down poured again, so while we were in the ice cream shop we took the opportunity to teach her some English and do some major BTR (build trust relationship.) It was a lot of time, but I think...I know that it was well spent. After we met with our less-active we headed to the Mall to meet a potential that I had contacted a few weeks previous. It started out so so well, we met up we walked to a delicious Indian restaurant, we were eating DELICIOUS food, and then he say the three words no missionary ever wants to hear....I AM MUSLIM. I was so mad! Haha I wanted to flip the table. Luckily he never accepted our invitation to come to church or we would've been in big trouble. Anyways we kept our cool, pretended it didn't matter and promptly walked back with him and parted ways. The laws here are so frustrating. I can't wait to teach all the Muslim people I've met here in the Spirit World! 

Wednesday: This day every single lesson/appointment we set up fell through and we felt depressed so we decided to go contacting to lift our spirits, then in perfect Malaysia fashion it down-poured and we were stranded at a mall until we had to go in for the night. We were able to get some numbers and I finally caved in and used one of those completely unsanitary massage chairs they have in malls. It was worth the Ringgit.

Thursday: Ahhh Weekly Planning, I love Thursdays. I always get so much scripture study in it is insane. That's all I need to make me happy is a set of hi-lighters, my quad, and the scripture study manuals. Complete Bliss right there. After Planning though we met with a family of potential that we wanted the Cina elders to meet.  We weren't able to travel together, but we assumed they could make it. Haha we were wrong. About 10 minutes after our appointment is supposed to begin we call the Elders and poor greenie, Elder Pierce, got separated from Elder Fletcher and they were lost, it was raining (in perfect Malaysia fashion), it was dark, and obviously only one of them had a phone and it wasn't greenie. Haha I really shouldn't have laughed as much as I did at the situation, I would have been freaking out, but all was well and after 1 hour, 1 very long hour, Elder Pierce was able to get to the church and call Elder Fletcher. The appointment got kacaud but a miracle came from it I will tell you later!

Friday: We got a new investigator and biked all the way to Matang! (1 hour bike ride away, which seems to be uphill...both ways...)

Saturday: Contacting all day, in which I realized the happiest missionary is a finding missionary. I love getting to meet new people.

Sunday: Church. I love my members but they love to pick on the sisters. Haha I need to get a branch photo, we are all kind of misfits, but in the best possible way!

BONUS Monday: Today we went to bako, which is the miracle that came from the Elders missing the appointment! We had told them that we planned on going to Bako and they not only wanted to come with us but even picked us up and drove us there. Today was a blast, I look like a lobster, and my entire body is bruised from one to many dives  in our intense capture the flag game on the beach but it was such a good p-day and I am so happy I got to spend it with all the missionaries I love and the coolest potential investigators!

Sorry for the quick run down of Friday-Bonus Monday. E-mailing time is running out quicker than I can type! 

Funny Story:

All of what I am about to say is 100% true. Today at Bako I literally got attacked by a herd of monkeys. Haha. Bako is basically a jungle trek and as we were just walking to the trails a family of monkeys come up to us, and it was so nice and pleasant, and then they got this evil look in their eyes. We were completely surrounding and there was no one to save us. We had started to walk away slowly in hopes that they wouldn't pursue us, but they must have seen the fear in my eyes because as we get past a couple of them, one of them literally jumped on to my backpack making crazy monkey noises and stole my water! I couldn't stop screaming! Haha I felt like such a girl, but it was something that I thought I would never have to worry about. We passed like 20 more monkeys the rest of the day and I couldn't look them in the eye. It was terrifying. Haha I think I was more upset about him stealing my water though. 

I can now safely say that I've been attacked by monkeys though.

This week had quite a few ups and downs, it's so evident that rainy season is upon us, but WOW I love this work, I am obsessed with being a missionary, and I feel so much love for the people here. For all the fun stories that happened this week there were 3X more amazing lessons, people changed, and happiness felt. Next week I will try my hardest to write all of them down. I am so grateful to be here, the church is true, i learn it everyday! 

Love all of you!

Sister Emma Lou Hansen

August 17 2014

This work is so amazing! Dad, you were right it was transfers last week, and I am still in Kuching! I am so so excited for this transfer. 

Last week was so crazy! Transfer news came in on Monday and everything after that seems like such a blur! Sister Leavitt and I are still together but Elder Chong and Elder Mitchell left. We were heart-broken. They have moved on to bigger better things, Elder Chong finished his mission and Elder Mitchell is now a Zone Leader in Johor Bahru (almighty ZL Mitchell..) The first 3 days of the weeks were spent going to as many members as we could with the Elders to say good-bye and prepare them for the new elders coming in, Fletcher and Greenie (Pierce). It was so good to be able to see the love the elders had for their area, investigators, and members! We still miss them a lot and reminisce on all "the good times" but we are already tight with the new ones! The following 3 days were planning, visioning, planning, and more planning.

We are going to blow the members minds this transfer about the Atonement. I have been struggling in this area the past 3 months with trying to find ways to excite the members into missionary work. That was where I went wrong. Yes, they are exhausted of trying and seeing no results. Yes, they are converted to the gospel. But, THEY HAVE NO HOPE! I don't know about you but the only sure thing that gives me hope no matter what is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. They don't need to be excited into missionary work, they need to be loved into missionary work. This lesson has been so great for me to be able to prepare, to grow my testimony of the Atonement and to see my desire to share the gospel increase in just 2 weeks. I will keep you updated on how it all goes, the first official lesson is tonight! 

This e-mail is short and boring, and I'm sorry I can't send you photos, i forgot the camera chord......

The Atonement is real and this church is so amazing.

I can't believe I hit my official 9 months on Wednesday! This mission is going by insanely fast. 

I promise to have at least a couple funny stories for you next week and LOTS of photos!

Sister Emma Lou Hansen

August 3rd 2014

So let me tell you about my P-day! Haha

It was Hari Raya, a gigantic Muslim holiday, and we went from Melayu house to Melayu house eating chicken curry, glutinous rice, and rendang...all...day....

So at the end of the day after about 4-5 house of eating the exact same thing we met up with one of our less-actives who took us to a Muslim Kampung and it was such an adventure.

-back story so we can not talk to Muslims about anything relating to religion, and there is animosity between Christians and the Muslims and this is the only day of year that we could go into the kampung let a lone their actual houses, such a neat experience.

When we got to the kampung that had just had a black out and so everyone was in their dark house feasting by candle light and the air-cons are out and it is just sweltering. We walk up to our first house and talk for a little bit and then they make us eat food, and the hosts don't eat, they just serve the guests and watch them eat...so uncomfortable haha....keep in mind it is pitch black so i just go and i get a spoonful of each thing, thinking it was safe, all the houses so far had the same food so this one wouldn't be different right? WRONG! As I am chewing on my first bite of what I assume to be rendang(beef) I thought to myself, wow the texture is funny, the taste is funny, this isn't quite right. Immediately as I am thinking this the host says, "oh, how is the HORSE?" I ATE HORSE, BISCUIT WAS EATEN, PEGASUS IS DEAD, BLACK BEAUTY WAS DEVOURED. I hated myself. The worst part was the fact that the host was a horse jockey. Hahah I can't believe my life. 

Anyways so after the horse meat fiasco, we went to travel to the next house and we were swarmed by the kids living in the village because the wanted to see the Orang Putay (white people) and we legitimately ran around the kampung in the dark laughing and joking and playing with sparklers. It was an experience I will never forget, it was so fun, and legitimately once in a lifetime for me. I can't wait for the chance to teach Muslims in Malaysia one day when the law is lifted. 

I am out of time I am so sorry I can't include anything spiritual but I will next week, I promise!

Love all of you!

Be missionaries! I am going to follow-up!

Sister Hansn

July 27 2014

"For me, the reading of the scriptures is not the pursuit of scholarship. Rather, it is a love affair with the word of the Lord and that of his prophets." President Hinckley 1985

This week was a BLUR. If it was not for my planner I would have no clue what happened. 

Highlights of the week:

-Member present lesson, where the member followed the spirit to the location of the lesson, because he had no clue how to get there and doesn't own a cell phone. It was insane.

-Making Pinatas, because we all know I love doing pinata lessons

-Getting a new investigator!!!!

-reconnecting with a former investigator at the art museum! (She's so ready now...)

-Drop by lessons and free Chinese noodles. Yum.

-Our first ever English class!

-The best part, going and volunteering at the Handicap center, it is always the highlight of my week, I love going and seeing them and their zeal for life despite their very real challenges! 

-Ramadan is over and Raya has begun. (The Malay..aka Muslims...are done with their fast and happiness is restored to Kuching!)

This week was good, missionary life is finally completely natural to me and I hope I never loose sight of that. I have been so reflective this past week with missionaries going home and transfers coming up....again. I am finally cultivating the deep love for the gospel that I have always wanted and admired in others. I love the scriptures, I am obsessed with the scriptures, I finally have a love affair with the scriptures. As I was reading the BOM this morning I couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the trials and pains that the prophets went through so that I, ME, SISTER HANSEN, could have them now, for my trials, which are so small in comparison. I made a goal last week to finish the BOM by the end of July, I am currently only in Alma 45, but as I have been spending all my "free" time reading the word of God, I can't even explain the joy and peace it has brought to me. The work has been slow for me the past 2 months here in Kuching. I would lie if I said I hadn't gotten discouraged, but reading about Ammon, or Abinadai, or Moroni, or Alma the Younger, the spiritual heroes, the amazing missionaries, I have found that the promises to them and their labors are true of me and my labors as well. I have only a short time left here in the vineyard, and I am stoked to finish it strong. 

I am going super sister missionary on all of you now. Please, from the bottom of my heart, do missionary work, share the gospel, pray for opportunities, and then seize them. I have never been so happy in my entire life. So many of the problems we face now would be non-existent if we just turn outwards and serve others. 

I don't have any funny stories or weird food that has been eaten this week, but I do have a renewed desire to try my hardest and to do my best as the Lord's servant. I LOVE THIS WORK. 

Sister Emma Lou Hansen

The Many Colors of Sister Hansen ....Literally

Before I start telling you about my week, let me tell you about my current obsession on the mission...I LOVE STUDYING THE GOSPEL! Ahhh I am sad I never felt as though I needed to learn more and more about the gospel till now. Currently I am reading the Infinite Atonemtent, Jesus the Christ, Church History in the Fullness of Times, and Daughters in my Kingdom, in conjunction with the BOM and O.T. of course! I am literally obsessed. I now get ready in 10 minutes to have 50 extra minutes to read in the morning and get ready for bed super quick to have another additional 60 minutes before I sleep. There is just so much to learn and hardly anytime to learn it. Currently I am really loving Leviticus and the Old Testament institute manual. I have to share this killer quote with all of you! "Man's duty to God is not the fiving up of on faculty, but the entire surrender of all. So Christ Sums up the first commandment-all the mind, all the soul, all the affections. 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.' Refers so particularly of the parts of the burnt-offering...The head is the well-known emblem of the thoughts; the legs, the emblem of the walk; and the inwards, the constant and familiar symbol of the feelings and affections of the heart. The fat represents the energy of not one limb or faculty, but the health and vigor of the whole. In Jesus these were all surrendered and all without spot or blemish. Had there been but one thought in the mind of Jesus which was not completely given to God. Had there been but one affection in the heart of Jesus which was not yeilded to his father's will. Had there been but one step in the walk of Jesus which was not taken for God, but for his own pleasure; then he could NOT have offered himself. But Jesus gave up all. HE RESERVED NOTHING. All was burnt.  All was consumed upon the altar." -Jukes SO GOOD!

So basically this week was stellar. Every moment we killed it! 

Miracle of the Week:

Let me tell you a story. So this week we were super optimistic about our 2 on date, until Tuesday. One of them moved to Penang and the other dropped off the face of the Earth, she can't meet for a month of two...That's not the miracle though. We received a referral on Sunday from the senior couple here so feeling completely defeated we grudgingly called up the potential Peggy, and she wanted to meet with us that day! It was insane, we taught her the restoration and she became a new investigator. After the lesson we find out that she has heard all the missionary discussions before due to helping translate for her friend. Also her English is impeccable, which is a gem here in Sarawak! The next day She calls us and wants to take us to lunch but we were quite busy so we rescheduled for Saturday, all I can say is she is literally perfect. Such a kingdom builder. She read about the W.O.W. and Tithing, and she actually likes them. In fact she bought us fruit, because the Word of Wisdom says to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. So all in all after the horrible news we received earlier in the week we were blessed with such a killer miracle! 

Weird Eats:

Durian. gross. all I can say is gross. It tastes like rotted onions and trash. "The King of Fruits."

Mangosteen. "The Queen of Fruits." So yum. It is delicious and will probably be eaten on the daily.

Pig Intestine Soup: Actually called Bu Ka Te. Little did we know that it was pig intestines until we were eating it and talking about how good it was. Gross. 

Funny Story:

So every Sunday night we go to President Teo's house for dinner, and the conversation is always hilarious but this week it was especially uncomfortable and funny. So one of the Elder's I work with is Elder Mitchell and the poor guy is the target of all the jokes. Often referred to as Sister Mitchell (after pretending to be a relief society president) was body slammed all night. Hahah so we got on the topic of Adam and Eve and how the woman was created from Man, but they need each other. Then President Teo said, "Elder Mitchell/Sister Mitchell you are perfect because you are a boy and a girl. You don't need any one else." Haha Sister Leavitt and I are dying at this point. Teo continues and says, "what is that called again? A....Hermaphrodite...."It was horrible and uncomfortable, but it was hilarious! Poor Elder Mitchell. He only gets teased so much because he can take it.

Title Story:

As you will see from the photos this week my skin got wrecked! Splits was this week, and due to a lack of bikes, we had to go a day with out bikes. Naturally the day we went without we ended up having to walk 3-4 hours in the sun to our appointments. I came out of that day looking like a lobster. Then the next day we biked to Matang, (about 1 hour one way), and my arms now look like a stripped easter egg. It's terrible but we are doing work, so I can handle a horrible farmers tan or two! 

In other news I have hit my official 8 months. I am shocked. The fact that on the 23rd of this month I will only have 9 months left is even more of a shocker. Ayyyy missions. Such a crazy fun unique experience especially in the jungles of East Malaysia! 

Love you!

Sister Emma Lynne Hansen

also can you believe those dogs I sent you a photo of? So gross. There are no normal dogs here, only zombie dogs!

"If your bike breaks a miracle is coming

Wow! This week.

I don't even know what has happened, it was such a whirlwind!

Monday:

For preparation day on Monday we decided to hit water front by the ZL's request that we have a day with the zone. Haha we trek up there only to get caught in a massive rainstorm. That was ok it was just a lot of jalan-jalaning in the mall there. On the way back though we got our p-day adventure when Sister Leavitt's bike got a killer flat and we spent the night in the apartment trying to take the tire off and find the leak. (We had to laugh because in the previous week we had to go to the bike shop to repair her bike and gravity had gotten the better of me almost everyday. Elder Scott had noticed a pattern and told us if your bike breaks you are going to get a miracle.)

Tuesday:

This was such a killer day! We did work. After district meeting and taking Sister Leavitt's bike in for a new inner-tube we booked it to go see our investigator Shana and had a lesson taught about tithing, it wasn't an amazing lesson, but we realized really quickly her comprehension of what we were teaching, and it was small. She wants it though, so bad. After her lesson we litterally had 2 minutes to race to our next lesson with Jessie a newer investigator that sends slightly weird sms's and taught her the restoration, no matter how many times I teach the story of Joseph Smith I love it more and more each time. After her lesson we went to a handicap facility that Sister Hales and I had been to a couple times previous to see if there was weekly service we could give there. I am so glad we checked! We can go any day we want between 2 and 5 and visit with those who stay there. It's such a simple thing to do but it was such a blast! I loved every minute of it! Then it was dinner time and we were able to go and visit our investigator who owns a burger stand to give him a reading chart and to contact in the vicinity. It was a blast.

Wednesday and Thursday:

I will give you the highlights because I am realizing time is winding down! Haha! WE FINALLY GOT SHANA TO THE KDC! She is unable to have sundays off which means she cannot be baptized, so we wanted her to come the the chapel and to feel the special spirit there. I am 100% positive it worked and her desire to come to church is growing. So grateful for members with cars. We also got to visit a LA who is my age with a couple of the youth/ysa from the branch and it was such a fun lesson. We "pretended" to teach them the Restoration and got in some major BTR. 

Friday:

We had a lesson with our investigator that owns the burger shack and it was 2 hours long, and one of the hardest lessons I've had on my mission. We may have accidentally dropped him. By accidentally though I mean we weren't planning on doing it, but the spirit was! It was ok, but I am pretty heart broken about it!

Saturday:

My branch is AMAZING. so to start off the day we went to the senior couples home to make cream puffs for branch bowling that night, it was a blast and I absolutely adore my elders and the senior couple. Then we went to bowling and the members had brought 10 non-members with them. We were able to bowl, have fun, and get some major missionary work in! It was great and I am so stoked to call all the referrals we were given!

Sorry this was rushed towards the end, but I am running out of time! I love you all so much and I love this work!

Sister Lou!