January 30, 2014

"in the work, thing are beginning to change in the zone. every area is training newbies, and the trainers are all pretty new on the mission as well, so it falls mainly on us to lift up the zone. we´re been giving the work 110 percent, we´ve been doing about 4 divisions and trainings per week. above all we´ve had to focus on our calling, the missionaries here are struggling to understand that they are representatives of christ. we are capable of so much because we serve and wear on our chests the name of an all powerful God!!!! so much is changing. step by step, we´re changing this "hole" into a mountain. ive never been so tired, but ive never been so happy! i know that i was called o make a difference here."

-Elder Kelland Hansen

"We´re working again..... YAYYYYYYYYYY!!!!! our time out is over, and now we´re full of gas for the second half! on the first day we broke free of our quarantine, we exploeded from our house with singing laughter, and faith! we talked with EVERYONE we encountered, the first contact we made is a progressing investigator now and super involved with the members. she´s already recieved an answer about the Book of mormon and we´re helping her towards baptism... YAY FOR MISSIONARY WORK!!!!

our members are waking up! we´re continuing our focus on these recent converts, they´re full of faith and full of referrals!! the Lord is guiding this work!

We had two baptisms this week, two blessings from heaven!! One is Mateus, he was born to be baptised!! the other was Rosilma, a referral from a christmas activity in the center of rioo that was passed to us. Ive never met a woman with so many family problems, im sure that the retored gospel will bring her the peace and love that her family so needs!

the Lord is blessing us so much that there isnt place to recieve it!! this was the kickstart that our area needs to get back on track, vamos com fé!!

Family

Im glad you guys liked the package!! i recieved the letter i sent to hebo and ben, did their address change? i´ll try sending it again, let me know!

im going into the mission office to settling this "Bagunça" about my gringo card, i would have gone in earlier but i had to worry about my comp´s health first, hope it works out!"

-Elder Kelland Hansen

Sickness and Service

January 12, 2014

"Well, this week reminded me of the Jack Johnson song- sitting, waiting, wishing. Because we did a whole lot of sitting, waiting and wishing!!! bit it was amazing to see how much ive learned this week-

 

1) I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK. every day i went to our balcony and looked longingly at all of the people passing by, who was going to help them while we´re on time out? every single night i dreamt i was in the field working, how blessed i am to know that this waiting period is temporary!

 

2) SERVICE. i thought i knew what that was, untill i had to clean, cook, attend to and buoy up my poor companion for a week straight. turns out his disease in english is called mumps. he cant do any physical activity untill the swelling goes down.... or his children will pay the price! I was a bit reluctant at first to serve him, all i could think about were our investigators that needed us. but eveytime i felt anxious i reminded myself that the person who needed me most at this time was Élder Stinnett. Ive gained a friend! He was really down on himself for the sickness he got, so i did my best to lift him up and help him carry on. Every single one of my companions has grown to be aa great friend, i feel blessed for knowing and serving every single one of them! When in the seruve of your fellow man...

 

3) MEMBERS. Well it seems like our members have woken up a ton since my comp has gotten sick, because they all have been starting to visit our investigators for us and bring them to church! many have broughten us lunch aand goodies to munch on( the presudent quarintined us so we cant even do splits to buy food). Our Ward mission leader has had a change of heart, saying "its in times like these where you learn who your friends are." he´s really stepped up to the plate, and he brought half the ward with them! im really hoping this momentum keeps up after get get back in the game, we´re nothing with out them!

 

My companion should be better in the next three days. Thanks everyone for the many prayers, we´re feeling them from down here!!

 

Com amor e fé, Élder Hansen"

"Sooooooooo. this week was super productive..... Só que não!

The first part of the week we hit a temp. with a heat effect of 122 degrees. Definitely made a dent in our progress, its the hottest zone in the mission and theres some people here that are so proud to even offer us water.

Then on friday my companion got sick. He grabbed something called Cachumba, if it worsens his posterity will be in danger... apparently i already recieved the vaccine(but so did he...) lets pray that i dont catch it! we´ll probably be in our house for the next 7-15 days. Please pray for my companion! His recovery will quicker!

The worst part is that many investigators will fall through the cracks. We´re doing our best to use the members to follow up with them, but its gonna be hard to make up for two weeks of lost work.

All of this is a trail of patience and faith. in Mosiah 23:21 reads,"Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith." Sometimes we´re tried and tested. Im determined to PASS. Eveythings telling to give up and surrender, but im determined to confide in the Lord and maintain my focus.

I hope to have better news next week, the only thing i can do is stay positive! Até a próxima semana!

Élder Hansen"

Flooding in Brazil!

"FLOOD. BIG FLOOD.

LOTS IF WATER.

LOTS.

so we got trapped in a members house on wednesday night. the water was up to our kness, it was strange to look out the window to see a newborn river.... but determined to get home on time, we "legged it!"

our clothes got wrecked :´(, and as soon as we got home, the office called us telling us not to enter into the water... OOPS. but what an adventure! here where im serving got hit pretty bad, seeing that is below sea level. the flood messed up the sewage system soooo the city smells just terriffic.....

the water is been out for a while now(not even a flood can resist the heat of rio!)
but ive heard that in my first area, Nilópolis, is now called Atlantis. this all reminds me of the flood wayyy back in naperville. DEJA VU.

in other news, IM BEING TRANSFERRED :(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

NÃO QUERO SAIR DAQUI!!!

worst news ever. I love it here in Vila São Luis!! its been an incredible experience serving here for the past 7 months. the worst part is that we recieved a washing machine TODAY. i havent even used it yet. for 7 months ive been washed my clothes by hand... what a trial of faith!! haha im gonna miss this place a ton, the memories and friends ive gained here are eternal. Saint Louisville will always stick with me!!

In going off to Maduriera! i´ll be with my old companion Élder Stinnett! we were only comps for 2 weeks, so now we´ll be making up for the shortened time? im excted to working with him again(even though i´ll be celebrating xmas with a bunch of people i dont know...), the work continues!!"

-Elder Kelland Hansen

Christmas letter 2013

"Sulacap! thats my new area. Im learning to love it here... it was way hard to leave all those i love in Vila São Luis. But Im loving the new atmosphere, the accent is super thick and theres some huuuuuge houses here! it doesnt feel like the Brasil i know, but im sure i´ll get along!

 

This is the second time im companions with Élder Stinnett. Its very gratifying repeating comps, because you can look back to see how much we´ve grown since our las t service together. weaknessess have been strengthened, portuguese perfected, and we´re all around just better missionaries! im excited to see the sucess we´ll have together.

 

The work here is, well, being revived. Before Élder Stinnett, the last baptism here was in march.... thats gonna have to change! I was extremely blessing to see miracles throughout the mission, i hope to bring the lessons learned with me, because we´ll be needing them!

 

We´re focusing on our teaching pool, which at the moment is next to nothing. Its gonna come through a balance of member referrals and investigator visits with members... the members are everything!! a few elders in the past really annoyed and destroyed our relationship with them, but nothing that a pair of dimples cant fix :D

 

We´re looking to baptize this Christmas!!! The man name is Paulo, he´s progressing a ton!! he´s the father of a family baptised earlier this month. We invited him to church this week, when he refused we used all our techniques to persuade him but he wouldnt give in! We left his home deciding to confide in the Lord. WE PRAYED A TON, hoping for a miracle! the next day, we watched as he and his two son Hugo and Davi all walked in in white shirt and tie! Its sooo good to know that we aren´t alone in this work. When we do our best and leave the rest in the Lord´s hands, miracles happen!! Please keep Paulo in your prayers, what a better present to Christ this season than a family completed in the church? VAMOS COM FÉ!!!

This Christmas season, i will once again be in the streets while all others enjoy the company of family and friends. But its a small price when compared to the sacrifice of our Lord. The greatest present i could recieve is the privelage to work along side ou savior during this special time of year. Please know that even though in far off that I wish a Merry Christmas to all! Paz na Terra, Glória à Deus!

Élder Hansen"


"Sooooo we got kicked out oof our lanhouse sooooo immabe real quick this week. summing things up-

We didnt sleep. its super hot and brasilians love fireworks and loud music until 6:30 in the morning.

We almost had a baptism this week! but then something rather strange happened... Hope to explain next week!

OUr members area bunch of old farts who dont do anything for us.... ok maybe thats harsh hahah im just so used to the animated work in Saint Luisville, we´re working our hardest to gain a good relationship with them to produce the same results(which includes sacrifcing our entire pday to wash the floor of a members office building.......). with out the members we´re nothing!!

But, ion the midst of this crazyness im happy. I was so blessed to have a solid skype with the greatest family ever! that gave me enough gas to put out two more years of work!! I LOVE THIS WORK!! and i love you guys! have a happy new year!!!

Com amor, Elder Hansen"