Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Baptism Week!

Allyson with a kid
This week has been the coldest and the most stressful week ever, but it has been worth it! JULIANA got BAPTIZED! WHOOOO! I know that is why I needed to stay in Plymouth for 6 months to get her to baptism! Yesterday was the hardest day of my life! Our little branch had 5 people get baptized yesterday! The best thing ever! The Padilla Family! They are the best! I wish I could stay just for them! That family was found by the elders and baptized in 7 weeks! They are so strong!

I also had much fun this week! I love this branch so much! We have had meals every day this month! And all the members have been wanting me to come over and do things with them. There is just not enough time for everything. We fed some baby goats. So that was fun!

We had mission conference this week! It was wonderful! And you know like always I have to play the piano at it! It really is a talent I am thankful for! And sometimes it is just fun to play around on the piano! I love music! But back to mission conference. It was great! President Cleveland committed us all to find someone to do temple work for on our missions. So I took the challenge and found some one on our family tree! I found a woman named Gunnil She was born in 1667 and I don't know much about her other than that. She was born in Sweden. Hopefully I can find more about her! I want to challenge all of you to find someone to do temple work for! Family History is so great! And that is what the conference was all about!

This week has been a bittersweet week because I know it is time for me to leave but I don't want to! I love this area with all my heart. But now that Juliana has been baptized I know she is in good hands with her mom and Sister Peel! I have had the best of times and the worst of times here. This area will forever be my home! I love Plymouth! 

Love Sister Hanson
Juliana

The Padilla family and Juliana


Allyson with the Reed family

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Happy Valentines Day!

Horse and buggy in Plymouth
Well it snowed again this week! Surprise hahah! Church got cancelled again so we just watched church movies all day! It has been really cold lately. Like 10 degrees and under. Hopefully when I get transferred I will go south where there is no snow! hahaha. Transfers are on the 25th and president told me I am leaving because Sister Peel is getting a greenie! 

This week has felt like it has gone on forever and I don't know why. This week has gone good! We taught a lot of people and had lots of fun!

We taught Juliana this week and she is doing great! I know she is ready to be baptized but now it is up to her to show up to it and go through with it! Every time she prays she just radiates. Her prayers just keep getting better and better every time she says them. She is a ten yea
r old and doesn't remember much of the things we teach her but the things that stick with her help her with life! I am so excited for her to get baptized! I think that is the reason I am staying in Plymouth for so long!

I learned lots yesterday! One thing I learned is that Reading the scriptures, Pondering and Praying are something we need everyday! If we don't do those basic things everyday then we are not growing in the gospel. We are letting Satan into our lives. I love the scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 10:5. We should be praying always. When we do we don't let the things of the world and of Satan into our lives.

Well That is my message to all reading my email today! I love you all very much and am excited to go to a new area! Life is good as a missionary! 


Love Sister Hanson

Our District's Valentine picture

Friday, February 13, 2015

Missionary Work and Miracles!

Allyson with her companion Sister Peel 
Well this week was skiwampus (don't know how to spell it)! You get the idea right! Well we had church which was wonderful! I got to speak and people though it was great! I don't know why I was nervous because I know everyone in that branch and I talk to people all day long. It must be mental. hahaha 

We are working with a less active in our branch and she is great! Sister Schnieder! She is great we decided to be bold in a lesson and talk to her about coming to church! She hasn't come in a while and she wants to go to the temple! So we decided to be bold! and I guess why I am telling this is because when you have the spirit and you feel prompted to say something do be afraid to say it! God knows what we need and he answers our prayers through other people and you don't know whose prayer you could answer! So be bold when you know you need to say something! 

We have been trying to find people to teach but we just can't seem to find any. So we have been praying a lot! We just got to get out there and work harder especially since the weather is nicer!

Juliana is doing good! She looks like she will be ready for her baptism on the 22nd! I am so excited for her! Hopefully she will accept the fact that she is getting baptized soon! I think everyday she is getting closer!

Well I love you all! Here are some pictures of our neighbors wicked icicles, And me being twinners with dad! Me in front of a big pile of snow! WHooooo

Allyson
Allyson in front of a big pile of snow...
...like her dad 32 years ago in Pennsylvania.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Another snow storm!




Here is a Picture of me standing in the road
Well this week was crazy! Yesterday they told us that we could email today because most libraries were closed yesterday because of the 10 to 12 inches of snow that we got! I am pretty used to the snow now and everything is crazy white. I think Plymouth doesn't have enough snow plows because our roads are horrible. Man, I hate lake effect even though it is fun for the first few days!

Church was cancelled on Sunday. You know as missionaries we live for Sundays so it kinda threw off my whole week. But I am doing great! I love snow even though it is a pain to missionary work. I will be getting transferred to a new area on the 25th (nobody has told me but I am pretty sure) ahah. We taught a lot of lessons last week! So that is always good!

We taught Juliana this week and brought her to the church and showed her the baptismal font and we told her that it wasn't scary. She is definitely a 10 year old. But she said the prayer at the end and it was the most beautiful thing ever. She prayed about getting though her baptism! Wow I know she will be baptized soon! Miracle.

I went on exchanges in South Bend and that was way fun! We had a lot of fun! I was with Sister Sessions and she is so much fun! We taught lots and it was just fun! I met a lot of members and they are all so great! One of the people I met she was related to some one in the Plymouth Branch! She is so sweet and we just clicked! Hopefully one day I get to serve in South Bend! I love the members there!

We had a Mini Mission Conference a week ago and it was great! We talked about this year being the year of the temple! I am so excited for the temple to open! Not only will it open but it will open many hearts! President Cleveland has been focusing on Family History a lot lately! So we have been using it every Friday and we get to talk to a lot of people that way! It is really cool to see how this area is growing so rapidly! I am loving being on a mission and would not trade it for the world.

I love you all and hope that your week has been great! Mine has! Oh, and I get to speak on Sunday about Living up to our full potential! So if you find anything or any suggestions send them my way. This is a hard topic!

Sister Peel shoveling out the car!

I have no clue what to title this! Maybe I will call it TEMPLE!!! ahah

Sister Hanson and Sister Peel with their latest investigator
Well this week was kind of boring! Not going to lie! We got some more snow and it has been fairly warm other than when the snow came because we all know when snow comes so does the cold!

To start off my email to day I want to share with you my favorite scripture! It is Palms 118:8 and this is my favorite scripture because it helped me when I was struggling. This scripture is small and only talks about two things to not trust in man but to trust God! This week I feel like I have been doing that a lot I have had to leave a lot of things to the lord! We have been trying to get 20 lessons and we really thought we would this week but we didn't. I know I definitely gave it my all and we tried to use our time wisely! But one good thing is that we met some of our other goals and our district even made all of our goals!

We did have some success this week we were able to get Juliana on a baptismal date for February 22nd the last Sunday I have in Plymouth!! She kills me she is the one who picked it. Her mom is totally on board and she seems to be progressing! Our district has a goal for 10 people on a baptismal date a week we have 11 Miracle right there! Also our goal as a district was to get 56 lessons! We got exactly that this week!! whoooo!

Last night we had some time after dinner so we went and visited a part member family! The Slane's! They are wonderful! Sister Slane is Catholic and not looking to join the church but she and her husband agreed to come on a church tour! Hopefully that might spark some interest in coming to church or learning more about the church! She is a very intelligent lady and friendly! I hope she doesn't think we are pushy! haha

The Indy temple is scheduled for an open house in JULY I cannot believe it!!  Ahhhh It is coming so soon! I hit my 5 month mark tomorrow! Whooo 13 months left!!! Life is good lately! Being on a mission feels like normal life! I hate wearing pants and now I love skirts. I still love shopping! I am still me, just missionary me! Love all of you as always! Have a good week!

Love Sister Hanson


Here is me holding a tarantula