Week 2--Elder Ortega
Hello Family,
This week has been pretty great. I got to use the rain jacket that Aunt Angela gave me almost every day towards the end of the week. It kept me nice and dry.
We are doing our best here in Garden Park. This week we struggled with getting members out with us, but we are hopeful for this week. We were able to follow up with a lot of investigators on Saturday, and we invited a lot of people to church. It was very nice to see be able to see those progressing investigators at church on Sunday.
It has been really fun being with Elder Ortega. He is a great Elder, and I have noticed that he is very sensitive to the Spirit. When he receives a prompting, he acts upon it, and he truly recognizes the still, small voice. I have been grateful to have been with him this week to witness that.
I have a testimony of writing down inspired answers. I was looking at my past planners this week, and I was comparing the notes section in each day with the notes sections I have now. It certainly was hard for me to hear those inspired answers at the beginning of my mission, but now I am able to fill my planner with those memories of spiritual experiences and inspired answers. I love it so much, and it is so good that the Holy Ghost is able to teach these investigators and myself about our Heavenly Father and His gospel.
My spiritual experience this week was in visiting our newest recent convert, Sister Nichola. When we followed up with her on how she felt at her baptism, she expressed her love for that experience and especially for those members of the branch that attended and supported her. She said, "I felt like part of the family. They were there for me." I felt that as well at her baptism. The members truly came to support her. She also said, "I felt so good like a whole burden was taken away." It's interesting that I've been here for two weeks, but Sister Nichola is so different since she has been baptized. She's happier, and I know that the Holy Ghost is with her. I'm so grateful to be able to witness that change that has taken place in her as she has embarked on the covenant path.
I love you all so much. I hope you have a wonderful week.
Love,
Elder Hanni
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
Week 37--Garden Park, Georgetown, Guyana
Week 1 --Elder Ortega
Hello Family,
So this week was pretty sweet. I moved to Georgetown! There is so much stuff here that isn't in Berbice: Stoplights, stop signs, two-lane roads, and other stuff that I can't think of right now. Other than that, it's pretty much the same. It's a really big place. I am currently living in Alexander Village on second street. You can find that on Google maps if you want. There are some really nice restaurants here. I had pizza from pizza hut, and I just had my first real hamburger today since I left on my mission. It was so nice.
I really like it here. It is different than Canje. I will miss Canje, but I am super excited to work here is Garden Park. Members have been really willing to come out teaching with us, and I am so grateful for that.
Elder Ortega is a really good missionary. He is a great companion and leader as well. We have enjoyed getting to know each other this week, and we have been able to work and teach really well together.
I have a testimony of priesthood. I got sick the day after I traveled to Georgetown from Berbice. Luckily, I wasn't going to my area that day anyway. I was able to receive a priesthood blessing from Elder Sanchez and Elder Thackery, and the next day, when I went to Garden Park, I was able to work the whole day. I feel great now. I am so grateful for the priesthood, and I know Heavenly Father was able to bless me to continue working hard.
A spiritual experience I had this week was the baptism of Sister Nichola. I just barely go tot Garden Park, and there was a baptism Saturday. As I taught her the last things in the days leading up to baptism, I could tell that she was ready. The spirit confirmed that to me. On Saturday, there were a lot of members at the baptism to support her, and the whole baptism went so smooth. It was a wonderful experience, and I know that Sister Nichola is going to be so happy here, and she already has a lot of friends.
Love,
Elder Hanni
PS--The second picture is with everyone in the branch who came to support her!
Also,we are teaching a former Guyana boxing champion, so I got a picture with his belt.
Hello Family,
So this week was pretty sweet. I moved to Georgetown! There is so much stuff here that isn't in Berbice: Stoplights, stop signs, two-lane roads, and other stuff that I can't think of right now. Other than that, it's pretty much the same. It's a really big place. I am currently living in Alexander Village on second street. You can find that on Google maps if you want. There are some really nice restaurants here. I had pizza from pizza hut, and I just had my first real hamburger today since I left on my mission. It was so nice.
I really like it here. It is different than Canje. I will miss Canje, but I am super excited to work here is Garden Park. Members have been really willing to come out teaching with us, and I am so grateful for that.
Elder Ortega is a really good missionary. He is a great companion and leader as well. We have enjoyed getting to know each other this week, and we have been able to work and teach really well together.
I have a testimony of priesthood. I got sick the day after I traveled to Georgetown from Berbice. Luckily, I wasn't going to my area that day anyway. I was able to receive a priesthood blessing from Elder Sanchez and Elder Thackery, and the next day, when I went to Garden Park, I was able to work the whole day. I feel great now. I am so grateful for the priesthood, and I know Heavenly Father was able to bless me to continue working hard.
A spiritual experience I had this week was the baptism of Sister Nichola. I just barely go tot Garden Park, and there was a baptism Saturday. As I taught her the last things in the days leading up to baptism, I could tell that she was ready. The spirit confirmed that to me. On Saturday, there were a lot of members at the baptism to support her, and the whole baptism went so smooth. It was a wonderful experience, and I know that Sister Nichola is going to be so happy here, and she already has a lot of friends.
Love,
Elder Hanni
PS--The second picture is with everyone in the branch who came to support her!
Also,we are teaching a former Guyana boxing champion, so I got a picture with his belt.
Week 36--Canje, Guyana
Week 6--Elder Eads
Hello Family,
This week was kind of a crazy one. On Thursday, we got transfer calls, and Elder Eads and I were surprised to learn that we are both leaving Canje and that two different missionaries are taking our place. That doesn't happen very often. I'm sad to be leaving another area. It has been really nice to be in Canje. I am moving to an area called Garden Park. it's just south of Georgtown, so I'm leaving the Berbice Zone and going to a different zone. It's pretty crazy. My companion is going to be Elder Ortega. I've never met him, but I've heard he is from the Phillipines, so that's pretty sweet.
Elder Eads has been a wonderful companion. I have enjoyed serving with him very much. He had taught me a lot during our time together, and he has also been a good friend to me. He taught me to be bold, but loving, and I pray that I may take what I learned from him and continue to improve myself as a missionary and as a person.
I have a testimony of having a prophet on the earth. It was so good to be able to hear the voice of our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson. I know that the things he said are true. I was very grateful when he said, "If you keep the commandments, everything will be alright." I know that the changes that were made are truly inspired of the Lord, just like he said. I was surprised at the changes, but as the conference went on and as the speakers talked about these changes, I felt a confirmation that these things are what the Lord wants.
My spiritual experience this week was on an exchange in New Amsterdam, but it started the day before the zone activity. I was talking with Elder Henriksen about the time I went on an exchange with him in New Amsterdam, and we went to go help a member family fix their car. I forgot the name of the family, and for some reason, I wanted to know, so I asked him, and he told me the name of the family. The next day I was with Elder Fisher, and he's still trying to learn where e3verything is in the area. He knew where everyone lived that day, and we were going in for dinner at the end of the day when we got a phone call from a member saying that we needed to go and give a blessing to a child taking exams the next day. Elder fisher didn't really remember where they lived, so he got directions, and we started going to the house. He was a little confused with the directions, so we were doing our best, but I realized we were heading towards an area that were are not suppose to go at night because it is dangerous. I asked Elder Fisher which family we needed to go see, and he told me the same name as the family the Elder Henriksen and I had helped. They were probably the only family I knew in how to get to in New Amsterdam, so we were able to turn around and get there to give a blessing. After wards, we felt really good, and I know that we were directed by the spirit. When I asked Elder Henricksen the day before the name of that family, I simply wanted to remember who it was, but I know it was no accident that that happened. I didn't know I was being directed by the spirit until after all of that happened. That was not my doing at all, but it was the Lord's. I am so grateful for that opportunity Heavenly Father have me to be directed by him.
I love you all so much. I loved general conference the weekend. I know those changes are inspired of the Lord.
Love,
Elder Hanni
PS-I really needed to hear President Nelson's talk on Sunday Morning. It was one of my favorite talks because the spirit was teaching me that I am entitled to personal revelation for the things and people under my stewardship. NO matter what the Lord asks me to do, He will enable me to receive revelation so that I can specifically magnify my calling. I was so grateful to learn about that, and I will strive to become a better servant of the Lord by seeking for the divine revelation that Heavenly Father wants to give me.
Hello Family,
This week was kind of a crazy one. On Thursday, we got transfer calls, and Elder Eads and I were surprised to learn that we are both leaving Canje and that two different missionaries are taking our place. That doesn't happen very often. I'm sad to be leaving another area. It has been really nice to be in Canje. I am moving to an area called Garden Park. it's just south of Georgtown, so I'm leaving the Berbice Zone and going to a different zone. It's pretty crazy. My companion is going to be Elder Ortega. I've never met him, but I've heard he is from the Phillipines, so that's pretty sweet.
Elder Eads has been a wonderful companion. I have enjoyed serving with him very much. He had taught me a lot during our time together, and he has also been a good friend to me. He taught me to be bold, but loving, and I pray that I may take what I learned from him and continue to improve myself as a missionary and as a person.
I have a testimony of having a prophet on the earth. It was so good to be able to hear the voice of our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson. I know that the things he said are true. I was very grateful when he said, "If you keep the commandments, everything will be alright." I know that the changes that were made are truly inspired of the Lord, just like he said. I was surprised at the changes, but as the conference went on and as the speakers talked about these changes, I felt a confirmation that these things are what the Lord wants.
My spiritual experience this week was on an exchange in New Amsterdam, but it started the day before the zone activity. I was talking with Elder Henriksen about the time I went on an exchange with him in New Amsterdam, and we went to go help a member family fix their car. I forgot the name of the family, and for some reason, I wanted to know, so I asked him, and he told me the name of the family. The next day I was with Elder Fisher, and he's still trying to learn where e3verything is in the area. He knew where everyone lived that day, and we were going in for dinner at the end of the day when we got a phone call from a member saying that we needed to go and give a blessing to a child taking exams the next day. Elder fisher didn't really remember where they lived, so he got directions, and we started going to the house. He was a little confused with the directions, so we were doing our best, but I realized we were heading towards an area that were are not suppose to go at night because it is dangerous. I asked Elder Fisher which family we needed to go see, and he told me the same name as the family the Elder Henriksen and I had helped. They were probably the only family I knew in how to get to in New Amsterdam, so we were able to turn around and get there to give a blessing. After wards, we felt really good, and I know that we were directed by the spirit. When I asked Elder Henricksen the day before the name of that family, I simply wanted to remember who it was, but I know it was no accident that that happened. I didn't know I was being directed by the spirit until after all of that happened. That was not my doing at all, but it was the Lord's. I am so grateful for that opportunity Heavenly Father have me to be directed by him.
I love you all so much. I loved general conference the weekend. I know those changes are inspired of the Lord.
Love,
Elder Hanni
PS-I really needed to hear President Nelson's talk on Sunday Morning. It was one of my favorite talks because the spirit was teaching me that I am entitled to personal revelation for the things and people under my stewardship. NO matter what the Lord asks me to do, He will enable me to receive revelation so that I can specifically magnify my calling. I was so grateful to learn about that, and I will strive to become a better servant of the Lord by seeking for the divine revelation that Heavenly Father wants to give me.
Week 35--Canje, Guyana
Week 5--Elder Eads
Hello Family,
How's it going? I am super excited that everyone is on Spring Break. It sounds like a lot of people in the branch are getting some good work done in the temple.
We are working hard here is Canje. We worked really hard this weekend to have people come to church. It was really good to see Ravindra at church again. He hasn't come in a while, and he looked so happy at church. I know that coming to church is so important for members is this area. Elders Eads and I are doing great. I don't have any complaints about him. He's a great missionary and a hard worker, and I enjoy working with him here. He is very good at helping people pray a the end of lessons, so that is a strength I am grateful he has.
I have a testimony of following the spirit. On a teaching visit with Elder Riggs this week, he had the unmistakable prompting to visit a former investigator from this area that he had known while he was in New Amsterdam. We had time in between appointments, so we went there. The reason the investigator was dropped was because she couldn't come to church due to family circumstances, but when we went there that day she told us that those circumstances were gone and that nothing would be holding her back from coming to church anymore. That was a wonderful experience, and because Elder Riggs followed that prompting, my testimony of the guidance of the Holy Ghost was strengthened. I know that it was no coincidence that that happened, and I am grateful that investigator will have another chance to accept this gospel.
My spiritual experience is from the 21 day promise. We gave a family a challenge a few weeks ago. They finished on Saturday, and they prayed for a less active woman in our branch. She hasn't been to church in a long time. They told us we should pay her a visit. We made the appointment, and on Saturday, we went to her house. She told us of the struggles she's been having and how she felt isolated from the branch, but she told us how happy she felt when she was baptized and was coming to church. She told us "When I saw the missionaries calling, my husband said maybe it's time for me to come back to church." Her husband is a Muslim, but he is grateful when she goes to church. We told her that she needs those blessings that come from going to church and partaking of the sacrament. She said she would come to church the next day, and she said "I'm going to get a great blessing as I come to Church to partake of the sacrament, and it won't just be for a few days or a month, but it'll be forever." She was at church yesterday, and after wards she looked so happy!
I love you all so much. I hope your spring break is awesome.
Love,
Elder Hanni
PS--I ordered an alligator scripture case a few weeks ago, and I got it today. It's pretty sweet. I sent some pictures.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)