HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

This week has been full of contact attempts and a lot of people not answering. Before some of our appointments we decided to knock around the neighborhood that we were in. So that's exactly what we did while we waited for the time to go to our appointment. We talked to this really nice lady who appreciates what we do. She used to live in Salt Lake City and knows a lot about our church. She said that she really does respect what we do and the devotion that we give, and told us that she had never met a bad "Mormon". She was feeling under the weather (usually we wouldn't fall for that, but she was in a bath robe and looked not good) but she still took the time to talk with us and even gave us cold bottles of water. I truly love kind people, and I truly believe that God was preparing us and giving us that positive contact to buoy us up for the next person we talked to...

We knocked on the next door and a boy (maybe 15) answered the door and told us that they were Christian. Shortly after, his mom came to the door and told us that they are "purely Christian and read the Holy Bible and ONLY the Holy Bible."  She asked us some questions about our church and then asked us to hold on. She came back with a "Christian Cults and Religion" booklet and began 'telling' us what we believe and WHY it is wrong.

At this point in my mission I feel pretty confident that I can back up my testimony and back up what I believe, but she wouldn't let us, and all I wanted to do was say "Thank you for your time" and walk away. After a while I didn't want to hear anymore so I did say... "thank you for your time". Then Sister Houghton said "before we go..." I was thinking to myself that if we don't just leave that this will keep going, but Sister Houghton went on and just left this lady with her testimony that she has found, through personal revelation, that these things are true, and that she loves the Gospel. The lady just gave us a, shall I say, insincere smile, and sent us on our way. NOT FUN.

My picture wall

People have been surprised when I tell them that was the first time I have been bashed out. I have learned that I really don't like contention, and bashing is purely contentious. So maybe some contacts could have arose to that, but I didn't allow it to get to that point. I feel that I am good at discerning when a conversation is getting heated and I can cut it off where it stands.

This Halloween was very different from the last. Last year was the day that I picked up Sister Draper and we had to be inside by 6:00. So while Sister Draper unpacked, and we received a few trick-or-treaters from the ward, I just wrote in my journal and studied. So fun right?? (Actually I would love to do that now. Wouldn't even mind.) This year our cars had to be parked at our apartments at 6:15 but we could get member rides and do activities with them. So we hung out with a sweet sister in our ward - Sister "B", but had to be back in at 8:30. Twas a good night. AND then Halloween night, CHRISTMAS MUSIC WAS APPROVED. So you better believe that is what we have been doing, all week.

Sister Hansen being a judge for the Cornbread contest...YUM!!

Don't know if you know this, but we have been going to High Fitness lately. Which is pretty much just an intense aerobics work out class. It is so good for us, and so much fun, and you sweat so much. I will be looking forward to finding a class like that in Utah, that I can go more than once a week. (It is like Zumba on steroids).

"K" is doing very well. She is progressing. This morning we got a call from her and she just wanted answers and clarification on where she was reading in the Book of Mormon. It was the Isaiah chapters... At the time we were at the Bishops dropping off our laundry (because his wife is our missionary mom) When we hung up the phone Bishop was like, "Wow she is reading the Book of Mormon, and thinking about it." Man, she is so close. This was our miracle input for the day...

Another miracle! Last night we had a lesson with our friend on the Plan of Salvation. When we read 1 Corinthians 15:40-43 on the Three Degrees of Glory. She went on a tangent about how she can't believe other churches don't know this or understand this. We told her that, that is why we are serving missions and that's why there are 70,000 missionaries around the world. Then she said... "No offense, but that's not enough. You need more. People need to know this." 

Super Saturday:"K" came to the whole thing! We painted and ate and created and listened and relaxed and it was just a find old time. I will send a picture of my painting.

My painting

Christmas music is approved now. HALLELUJAH!
Charity is real. Please increase your own this week!
Love,
Sister Hansen