Hello all:

My P-day got all messed up because of Thanksgiving so I technically don't have one today but they did give us an hour for laundry and e-mails. So here it goes: 

This past week was rough, we started our TRC investigator and my companions and mine was SASSY. She knew the perfect things to say to make us feel completely inadequate. I felt so bad, after our horrible TRC but by the time we went to class I thought I was doing pretty good. Of course I was disappointed in how the lesson went but there was nothing I could do about it now. However in class we do practices on each other pretending that we are teaching a lesson. Because I am in a tri-panionship it was my turn to work with Brother Gruninger and I lost it, literally lost it. I felt so bad I couldn't stop myself from crying and basically making it the most excruciatingly awkward 5 minutes of his life. He was so nice though and really made me feel that I could teach and that I was called to Singapore for a reason and that the Lord would help me. I seriously love him for that, it was exactly what I needed to hear. Honestly since Monday times have still been a little overly emotional. My investigator though after the worst 1st lesson ever, we have been able to give her the BOM and she has started reading it and is really gaining a testimony of her loving Heavenly Father and prayer.

FRIDAY! WOW! It was 12 straight hours of class. I thought I couldn't sit any longer. I had what is called "in field orientation," they should honestly change the title. It was spiritual and I did learn a few things but it was basically a regular class drug out for and obscenely long time. My companions and I were wiped out. Because it was supposed to be our P day we had a service assignment in the morning from 6-730 and then the orientation right afterwards. We didn't get breakfast so the whole time we were sitting there I am pretty sure we cleaned out a box of tic tacs, a container of icebreakers, and at least 1/2 a pack of gum it was ridiculous! 

Can you believe I go to Singapore in just 3 short days! Ahhh! I can barely contain myself. I am feeling like I truly can go out and preach the gospel at this point. My teachers are amazing I want to put them in my pocket and pull them out when lessons get hard! I will be flying out of SLC on Tuesday around 5, so I will either be calling you there or when I get to Hong Kong, honestly because of the time difference I am not quite sure, so keep your phone handy dad and I will call youTuesday Night or sometime on Wednesday (which will be my Thursday, CRAZY). I can't believe I just loose a day like that. Haha. 

They've been preparing us to leave and we've had a few meetings on our specific mission. We've learned a lot about Malaria and they've started us on the medication for that, and a fun fact the group that I am going out with is one of the last ones until more come home. I guess we've reached like the quota of missionaries aloud in Singapore. I am so glad that I was fortunate enough to make the cut. It's funny telling people where I am going because they always start on a tangent about how hard learning mandarin must be and the shock that comes over their face when I say I am English speaking. But it is a very real thing that I will be learning Malay and Mandarin while there. I am both excited and scared for that to happen. I am truly most excited to know my first area and companion! I am really hoping to go to East Malaysia (the part right above Indonesia), it is the only biking area, but the potential for growth is so great and I really feel like that because it is more of a 3rd world country over there, there is so much service I could offer. I will be so ecstatic wherever I go though. 

As times drag on my companionship has gotten strained, in lessons it is a blessing because we all have different strong points of our testimonies and look at the gospel in different lights, but in class and the apartment it is hard to really keep a balance if that makes any sense. I love them both completely though! 

It's cold here but I am trying to appreciate it before I get to hot humid Singapore and will probably want to die. Haha. Anyways, please keep sending me e-mails. I love hearing about everything! I miss and love you all more than anything, but I am doing exactly what I know I should be. 

Maybe someday I will send some pictures! haha

Lots of Love, 

Sister Emma Lynne Hansen

1st Letter from the MTC

Family and Friends, 

The MTC is great! I feel like I am on spiritual overload. I think the amount of times I have prayed in the past two days equals the amount of prayers I give within a month or two. Seriously, there is one in the morning, one to bless breakfast, one before personal study and one after, then one before companion study and one after, then one for lunch, and one for class, then 4 during class, and one after, and so on! It is so great though! I feel like I can really personal communicate with my Heavenly Father and receive any answers I might need and calm my overwhelmed heart!

Yesterday we were told about the investigator my companions and I will be teaching, and wow I already love her so much! Her name is Rose and she has had it rough and is continually burdened with other peoples cares, so during companion study we prayed to know what we should tell Rose so that she may feel of the love her Father in Heaven has for her, and it is amazing to see that me and my two companions immediately turned to the same gospel principle in PMG. Wow. Prayer. We teach her later today and update you on how the lesson went I was so nervous about the thought of it, but now I am overjoyed at the thought of official meeting her and getting to share my testimony.

I should probably tell you about my compainions, I love them! We are a "tripanionship" so basically there are 3 of us. I was definitely concerned about the logistics of 3 sisters in one group. Emotions were sure to run high, but not here. Sister Mafi is from Tonga and she has such an inviting personality so even though we are very different, I can't help but to love her! Sister Parcell is HILARIOUS, honestly so funny. I think she is very good at lightening the mood when the time is right but she is a spiritual powerhouse! I just hope I am bringing something to the group. 

My teachers are so great they really help me to know what i need to do to be an effective missionary and are so intuitive to how I am feeling and the words in which they need to say to me. Honestly I think I will be sad to leave, however I am not done yet so we will see what the rest of my stay here brings! Things have been going so great here though and I am thankful everyday for this opportunity I have to serve. I cannot wait to be with the people of the Singapore Mission in just 10 DAYS, wow! I already love them so much! My P-day here in the MTC is Friday so family write me e-mails and send me letters! I am making my way through the letters you wrote me and I am overwhelmed with the love I feel, and will write you guys back as I read them!

Love you and miss you all more than I can say,

Sister Hansen

P.S.

hopefully i will take and upload some pictures next week, there is seriously no time to snap pics! 

Just Real Quick

Let me just say this, preparing to serve has been the hardest, loneliest, self-doubting times I have EVER had. Oh boy was it worth it.
A lot of people were surprised by my sudden peaked interest in serving a mission for my church, and I can't blame them, so was I.
     Weeks before I had honestly given a second thought to serving there was a talk I heard, and to sum it up, it made me question what I was really doing and what I valued. After much self evaluation I decided I was far from the person I knew I could be or even wanted to be. There was one small problem, I didn't actually know who I really was. Secretly all along, deep down, I was always uncomfortable in my own skin and reaching desperately for something more within myself. After trying to continue along in my day to day routine the feeling in the pit of my stomach grew stronger and stronger, and I felt as though I was always carrying a large burden with me.
     Then something crazy happened. I prayed one night to know what I should do, something I had never done. The next morning I knew who I could become and what I should be doing; serving the Lord and growing in the gospel.
     It hasn't been all blue skies since that point, it's been rough. Self-doubt came back with a hammer and what-ifs flooded my mind constantly. However the change that I see in myself is so much closer to the person I hope to be one day. I am preparing to serve people in a country I have never been to or know anything about, but I love them wholeheartedly, something that has never come easily to me.  I am beyond excited to bring to them what has brought me more peace or joy than I could have ever imagined.
Adventure begins in 9 days.
Sister Hansen