Monday February 3, 2014 e-mail

.
Ingrid is just doing amazing, a couple of snags here and there but I know that if she works for it she will get an answer.  That’s mainly what we are working on now. We will also call her today to set up another appointment. Teaching lessons to people is going a lot better.  The ward is using us for a lot more things and we are more than happy to work for them.  We have talked to some pretty interesting people on the street and are just hoping a little more will come out of it.  Next month the ward is going to do a ward fast for us to find that family that is being prepared.   Unfortunately no investigators came to church Sunday.  Some of them had some things that had come up and a large problem is just getting people to understand the importance of all that we have to offer them. 

This week we went with a lot of members to help with the home teaching and we also had a lesson with Ingrid that was nothing short of a miracle.  Let’s just say at the end of it, everyone in the room had tears falling down their face.  We brought Brother Ryan Wark with us and he’s just one of the best people to bring. At the end of a lesson she said, “Okay, I’ll try to pray and read.”  He pulls out a pen and says, “Here try to take this pen out of my hand.” and she gets ready and tries to grab it before he closes his hand but he doesn’t move his hand he just keeps it open and she takes it.  He says. “Here do it again.”  The same thing happened. He then said, “You didn’t try to get that pen.  You either got it or you didn’t. You either read and pray or you don’t.”  I learned and studied a lot this week about why bad things happen to good people because that is the one things that people we talk to can’t understand. With clarity it shows that God is a just, but merciful God. If the wicked didn’t do anything bad to the good then there would be nothing to judge and if there was nothing to judge then why would we go on this earth to learn.  It’s all about agency. The scriptures are full of this answer and many others and it should scare me with how much I know I have to learn but I'll just invite it.  Bring it on. 

-Elder Hanson

Elder Davis has lost a little weight also.

We were in the UK Ensign from when we helped Br. B. in his wheelchair up the mountain.

Beautiful rainbow

Just passing a little message along.

Rival Game Ties!

Elder Utley (from Colorado) and I in our Super Bowl Ties.
He can burn his now.  YEAHHHH HAWKS!!!!

Letter written home received February 19, 2014          Airdrie Scotland

Jan 27, 2014  On P-day it was a good day.  It wasn't a usual one.  We did a lot of things with the members.  After emailing we picked up Sister Neilson's glasses and finished p-day early to have dinner at the Cummings and then finished the night with FHE.  Traci came and it was great, I gave the spiritual thought.

Jan 28, 2014  Today we had a lesson with Ingrid!  well, we made her cry but it was in a good way.  We had Ryan Wark as a joint teach and we all bore our testimonies and she has a true desire for an answer.  I can see iit in her eyes.  She feels alone and forsaken.  We took a big bold step and gave her a blessing and she was more than okay with it.  Ii could see almost a physical change with her when I saw her open her eyes.  But, she is still a little hesitant that she will receive an answer but I know with all my heart she will.

Jan 29, 2014    Today was a B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L day of service.  We saw an amazing rainbow out of our window this morning and we did a lot of service.  We helped paint and helped move furniture, then helped with the ward clean-up.  We are a part of the ward, just like members are a part of missionary work.

Jan 30, 2014    We did mainly weekly planning today and unfortunately both Elder Edwards and Elder Davis got food poisoning from something but Elder Bentley and I were feeling good enough to still go out, then we went home teaching with Thomas and it was pretty good.

January 31, 2014    today we taught Traci and we are just helping her know the right path and I can tell she just needs a lot of help and today was just a good old day of finding.

February 1, 2014   Today kind of just dragged on and I was pretty much just looking forward to a lesson with Ingrid but unfortunately she cancelled, so we had a pretty long night.

Feb 2, 2014    Today's fast Sunday was pretty crazy.  We found out that Br. McGowin passed away this morning and that was heart breaking.  I loved that man.  We had a very touching testimony meeting and after that, we had dinner after church with the Blyes because they noticed our dinner sheet was a little empty (we only have one dinner appointment this week), but that's okay.

Feb 3, 2014    Today's P-day was really boring.  We just emailed and that's about the only good part. We just didn't do anything because there is nothing around here.  Hopefully we have a better one next week.  I feel that whenever I have a good P-day my week always goes better.

Feb 4, 2014    Today we had a West Scotland conference with all the missionaries from Glasgow and Paisley all together and it was by far one of the best meetings I have attended.  It was pretty much about how it's not what you do, it's how you do it because if we do it without love, it benefits in no way.  Also, that Heavenly Father owns everything but our hearts, so the greatest gift we can give him is just that.  it opened my eyes.  I want nothing more than to be an exactly obedient missionary and to be always diligent but I know I have a lot to work on and I will get there.

Feb 5, 2014    Today we had dinner at the Davidson's and they are temple workers so we just talked about people all over Scotland temples.  It was really good.  Sister Davis made some cut cabbage, almost like mashed.  I thought not too much of it but Elder Edwards told me how he had to force it down.  I haven't had too bad of a problem with food on my mission so far.  I'm pretty much fine with anything.

Feb 6, 2014    So today was pretty weird.  We had almost everything planned with lessons, a dinner appointment, and meetings, but everything cancelled.  So we thought, "Oh no, what do we do?"  Because I was looking forward to everything.  We were half way though making dinner close to the end of the night thinking of what to do with our little time left and Sister Black called telling us that dinner was back on so we threw everything in the fridge and went to their house and it's always a good time over there. 

Feb 7, 2014    Today we went to Br. McGowin's funeral, so it was a  pretty sad day but Sis. McGowin is always good at staying happy and not letting too much bring her down.  later I went on exchange with Elder Davis and the taxis were terrible today when we went with Jamie to see widows.  We had to wait two hours for one, it was crazy.  Later, we went to see Chelsea, an investigator  the other Elders have.  She is really solid and we gave her Karo, fake coffee to help her with the Word of Wisdom.  it was good getting to know her and after, I played with her chiwawa by putting the light reflection off my water on the wall and had him chase the little white dot.

Feb 8, 2014      Today we did service at the charity shop and we got together some less actives and played basketball.  It was great!  

Feb 9, 2014    Today was a good Sunday.  We taught Gospel Principles and we had a lesson with Willy and the second we walked into his house, I said to Elder Edwards, "I like this guy!"  He was perfect, we didn't really need to say much because we just lead and moved the discussion.  We gave him a Book of Mormon and asked him to pray about it.  We will see him again on Tuesday.