"Big Al's Gutting Services"

Well I couldn't believe that some of this stuff happened this week. This week has been pretty dang long, but at the same time I can't believe it is over... So MONDAY WAS SO FUN! So we left a little early after emailing and went to the Chornis' (members in the ward) to prepare some turkeys. This was a REALLY cool experience for me and I am opening a business when I get home called, "Big Al's Gutting Services". It was fun. Here is the process...
1. Walk the turkey out of the pen
2. put twine around the head and stuff it in a bucket
3. Brady came over with his sword and chopped the head, which made the turkey reflexes go nuts and blood was squirting everywhere.
4. Put the turkey in scalding water

5. Pluck
6. Gut! Including: Intestines, gizzard, heart, liver, lungs, voice box thing, stomach, then you get to hammer its neck off.

It was just a good learning experience and now I am ready for Armageddon. You are welcome Mom and Dad.

That night we traveled to Stockton for Exchanges! Obviously I was PUMPED to see Sister Valgardson again, and it was a lot of fun to see her again. Then the next day I figured out we would be on exchanges together along with Sister Anderson! We were pumped.

So good to see Sister Valgardson!

We went to Delta College to just get some street contacting in and I am still not super good at this because there isn't that much of it in the little town of Ione. But it was my turn to approach and start the conversation. We go up to this guy and I say hi and he doesn't hear because he has ear plugs in. Well I bend down and get myself in his view and wave, he takes his ear plugs out and says hi. Well moral is that he invited us to sit down on the bench and we just start talking about the Gospel, give him a Book of Mormon and #princeofpeace card and set a return appointment with him. HE WAS AWESOME! Then that night we knocked doors after dinner in this area and found two other potential investigators! YAYYAYAYA!

The Kicker Krew

District Meeting was changed to Wednesday so we had all day on Thursday in our area. After District Meeting we went to meet Mike and Jan. We had a really nice uplifting conversation and covered a lot of ground. After we went back to Jackson to do some training on the computer and figured out that they are BARELY out of our ward boundaries and have to give them to the Jackson Elders... Bummer but at least they are getting taught right?

THANKSGIVING!!! Thanksgiving was hard. Not gonna lie. I was missing my family traditions, we were supposed to be tracting and a lot of the people that answered the door were cooking and not really wanting to hear what we had to say. So that was a little hard, but then we had Lunch/dinner and that was fun, and YUMMY! Then we left to go make a cake for our investigator that wasn't really having a Thanksgiving... She made my whole day and I was just so happy after we left there.

Then GUESS WHAT we got to play VOLLEYBALL!! ON THANKSGIVING! That was so fun. This group of people came to play basketball so we invited them to play Volleyball with us and it was just a hoot. Apparently there was a ton of less actives and some non members there and after (as usual) we shared a message including THE NEW #LIGHTTHEWORLD VIDEO! It was awesome! So thanksgiving started off hard, but ended AMAZING! I really challenge all of you to take the #lighttheworld video to your heart. Share it with everyone and as many people as you can. It is amazing.

Transfers are next week! So make the most of this time, right!?

HOPE THANKSGIVING WAS AMAZING FOR EVERYONE!

Sister Hansen

Email me at: anhansen@myldsmail.net

Honestly SO Blessed!

Last week we were able to teach 14 Member lessons right? Well you know that we have been blessed because this week we have found...
Rex - (Potential Investigator) we street contacted him and we got to share like the whole restoration with him, Joseph Smith vision and everything, he has a Book of Mormon and we extended the challenge for him to read it.

Decorating cookies at Activity Day's with the primary girls!

Kim - (Investigator) I have felt that we needed to go to this area that I don't even know if it has been tracted before... So Friday morning we head up, this hill was nuts, like walking bikes nuts steep... we knocked the doors until we got to the top, we usually don't knock on doors that are open (haha) so we started turning around and SHE walks out. I flip back around and excitedly say "HELLO!" I think I scared her a bit (oh well). She came over to her fence and began talking with us, she told us she had just come out of prison and that she is really trying to fix her life up. She asked if we were Jehovah's Witnesses and we said NOPE... (thank goodness). She also asked if we were a cult... also no (THANK GOODNESS). We go on and talk about bits and pieces of every discussion.She invites us and and we had a really nice talk (she kinda has the gift of gab) but we love her! She said that it is amazing that we made our way up there, she said when she saw us she had a super warm feeling, and told us she wants us to come back. We gave her a Book of Mormon and told her we would be back.

John - (Investigator?) Came out of his house before we even knocked, he was carrying tires up to his truck and he told us not to pick them up because it will get our dresses dirty. I don't even blink and go pick up the tires. When we get to the truck he turns around and sees me carrying the tire and he is like "oh umm thanks". We tell him who we are and what we teach and he said he is actually interested but they are headed out the door, he told us to come back this next Saturday.

Sharing some scriptures

Beverly - (Potential Investigator) We were knocking on doors to an apartment building I didn't even know existed (also in the area that I don't think has been tracted in some time) she opened the door and straight away invited us in. She talked about her husband and how he has been going to a different church, and then we just talked. We tried to talk about what we teach but she also has the gift of gab as well. Super sweet lady though. We will be back, we gave her our number and told her to call if she ever needs anything.

With the Elders having Root Beer Floats

Mike + Jan - (Referral/Potential Investigator) A Brother in our ward, gave us this referral after Mike spoke at the cub scouts activity about "Divine Intervention" We called him and he said, I have been waiting for you to call! We were so excited.

This week has been full of miracles. Truly no effort is wasted, hard work pays off, and 100% blessed, AND I FINISHED THE BOOK OF MORMON! I was so excited because now I get to start over!
I feel so overjoyed. The mission has been hard because we haven't had many people to teach. Once we focused on just teaching the lessons and gaining the trust of the members even more, the blessings came pouring in. My email finally sounds like a mission. I am so grateful for this opportunity. Last week Heavenly Father was preparing US to meet all these people.

PUPPIES!

Sunday was so amazing and the spirit was VIVID. While we were sitting in Relief Society our teacher decided to have a panel discussion and invited 4 converts (including herself) to talk about and answer questions. Well moral of the story and recent convert of about a year now, broke into tears and told us that she feel so lost but she knows it is the right thing. She is having a hard time right now, then the rest of the class was, advice and how we can help her. It was SO powerful, the spirit and the love that was felt in that room. I guess I was overwhelmed because I had a complete break down. Sister Bishop (seriously one of my favorite ladies) came up to me and just hugged me until I calmed down a bit. She really helped at that moment. I was so worked up.

Crazy cat lady

All in all this week was amazing with a lot of emotions. I would like to end with a Scripture I came across the other day...
Moroni 8:3
"I am mindful of you always in my prayers, continually praying unto God the Father in the name of his Holy Child, Jesus, that he, through his infinite goodness and grace, will keep you through the endurance of faith on his name to the end."

Ok well I have to go! We are going to prepare turkeys and then use their insides to go fishing at a members house! So next weeks pictures should be fun! Love you so very much and hope everything is going well! LOOOOOVE YOU LOVE YOU LOVE YOU!!

LOVE YOU ALL!
Sister Hansen

LAMANITES!

WOWOWOW What a weeeeeekk! Tuesday we got to go to the PRESTON CASTLE and do service and DANG that place is creepy even when it isn't decorated with halloween stuff. The lady that we were helping out gave us a little tour of the grounds and a little bit inside. It is a super cool historical place. Some areas in the castle are EXTREMELY off limits to the public because they would not be able to hold people's weight. This place is OLD, but EXTREMELY interesting. Definitely a go to place after the mish.

Also that night we had dinner with a Recent Convert who works as a psychologist at the prison and she told us that one of her inmates got a hold of a Book of Mormon and started reading it, she said a couple days later she saw him and he said "Doctor Smith, all these guys *pointing at everyone*.... LAMANITES!" She was so excited because he actually read it! I thought it was hilarious because it is sorta true! But it was also awesome.


So ZONE CONFERENCE WAS SO GREAT. It was so good to see... EVERYONE. Yes. So the training and conference was with half the mission but then the lunch after was EVERYONE IN THE MISSION. We got to see, our whole MTC district again, Sister Valgardson, Sister Rose, Elder Stock, Elder Lamm, and ALL 5 PEOPLE FROM DAVIS HIGH IN ONE MISSION. Crazy stuff ok.

All 5 of us are from Davis High!

It was such a good meeting about pushing the new "Light the World" initiative. Which I am super pumped about. I hope you all will use that in your missionary work back home. It is a super easy way to not only share the Gospel but do good in this world. Start early and then NEVER stop.

Thursday was a super busy day and we are grateful for it. We got to teach a mini lesson to a Non- Member. It was just in our morning routine and I just thought we would stop by and she let us in and we chatted and left her with Philippians 4:6-7. We challenged her to live in thanksgiving daily and we told her we would be back to watch the Light the World video with her when it comes out. She accepted. It is crazy because that is someone is a family of focus that we have been trying to contact and it went so well. When we got home from the rest of the morning tracting we got a call from Sister Palmer, SHE WAS COMING TO SPEND TIME WITH US. We were opening companion study and she joined us and it went really well and she had great input and so forth. Then she attended our District Meeting and everyone was very surprised that she showed up. Elder Morley (District Leader) prepared a REALLY great District meeting and we all left very uplifted. THEN, We taught three lessons in member homes that night which is AWESOME!

Friday night we went to the Roberts for dinner and let me just tell you this family is out of control, but in the best way possible. At the dinner table we all spontaneously broke out and sang every word to "Sisters" from White Christmas and it made everything great.

SATURDAY WAS SO FUN we had a service project in Jackson and it was a wood splitting activity and it was really successful. A lot of people came and a lot of wood was cut. We then figured out later that we were not supposed to use hatchets... but for the most part I was just using a wood splitting maul... so I think it's ok.

So for the most part, this week was amazing! We got 14 MEMBER LESSONS THIS WEEK!


HOPE YOU HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK!!
love you!!
Sister Hansen

New companion is: Sister Draper!

Well I am going to start off with saying that it was a very emotional transfer. Sister Valgardson and I because Best Friends and it was very hard to see her leave the people of Ione and even harder to see the people of Ione say goodbye to someone that has completely changed their lives. But it is time for others to have their lives changed by a complete angel. Stockton WATCH OUT!

Had to break her in, SISTER DRAPER AND I JUMPING FOR JOY!

As for me in Ione, Tuesday morning/afternoon I figured out who my new companion is! Sister Draper!! She is from San Ramon California (which is about an hour and a half away from here).

Cantrells from Sister Valgardsen's farewell tour

Ok anyway, so this week has been crazy, Daylight savings, rain, cold, re-meeting everyone. It has been super fun for me to bring her around town and to introduce her to the ward and other things that we do here. Yes the work is slow but we have started making appointments with the members to teach the missionary discussions in their homes and having them pretend they are investigators. It has helped so much getting the practice and then feedback from the members. We have already improved so much! I LOVE MORMONS! The day after Sister Draper got here our ward had a talent/variety show and they asked us really last minute to do something, so we sang a hymn and YES Sister Draper can sing! Woohoo! She is shy right now but she is warming up and YOU ALL KNOW ME!! I AM NOT SHY AT ALL!! WOOWOWOWOWOWOWOW. Maybe I'll learn to chill from her, MAYBE NOT.

Johnsons from Sister Valgardsen's farewell tour

Throughout this week, I have already been able to feel a change in my heart, I just want to keep improving and learning and setting that good example for Sister Draper. I have REALLY found comfort in the Book of Mormon and prayer. I know that whatever I am feeling, nervous, scared, sick, stressed, excited, happy, etc. that I can always find that comfort through the primary answers that we have learned out whole lives --read the scriptures and pray.

Fowlers... Some of them

Dang I know that this Gospel is true and there is NO WHERE else I would rather be then here. I am so excited to keep on this journey and I love Ione so much!

Ending again with my favorite quote from Bethany Hamilton... "I don't need easy, I just need possible."


Love ya all

dinner after the adult session! 

TRANSFERS...I'M TRAINING!!

This week we got to go on EXCHANGES with the Sister Training Leaders in Stockton! It was sort of awkward tho because we had to be back for dinner that night, so we got there at 9:00 p.m. stayed the night, woke up worked, lunch, went out and worked some more, then came back and we had to leave. We had a wonderful dinner appointment with some of our favorite members, WE LOVE THEM.

Then the next morning headed back out to Stockton to finish our exchange. Sister Anderson and I went to Downtown Stockton for a couple of hours and talked to everyone we saw. It was a whole new experience for me. In Ione there isn't a lot of people to street contact, but in Stockton that is pretty much all you do! So we placed some Book of Mormons and talked to some AWESOME people. THIS GOSPEL IS AMAZING!

The volleyball crew

It was so wonderful working with Sister Anderson. She is an amazing missionary that is full of light and desire to bring as many back to the fold (As we all should).

Me with Sister Anderson (STL)

Thursday I received your package and the letter was my absolute favorite part!

The mission has been awesome, but all week we knew that transfers were coming up and so we were really stressed, nervous, and emotional. Sunday was rough... and by rough I mean emotional. But that is life/a mission. We took some pictures with some people and carried on with our day. That night we went to a broadcast for northern California that was all about Religious Freedoms. Very interesting.

Then that night we were at Zach and Aime's and taught a discussion! Members feedback is like the best thing ever because you can just learn and grow from them helping you progress. After we finished the discussion we got... THE CALL! We saw that it was from President Palmer... He only calls if you are doing something for the first time. Well we left their house to answer the call and both of us are listening very carefully to this phone call, while hugging, and crying...

Me and Sister Val

Sister Valgardson will be a SISTER TRAINING LEADER in Stockton (which is like the sketchiest place in our mission) and I will be TRAINING A NEW MISSIONARY IN IONE! I am a nervous wreck but I know that I can do all things through Christ and that I have a lot of support from everyone around me.

I LOVE MY DISTRICT!

I love this Gospel and I am excited to keep moving forward and to meet my new companion and to start learning from her! We meet tomorrow!


Have a wonderful week!

I can literally FEEL my brain changing gears

I know that this might sound crazy, but my, this week has been VERY emotional for me. Not because I am sad but because I have felt the spirit so strongly. My brain and thoughts have taken a toll on me this week. Every single night I have just been EXHAUSTED to the point where I can't even keep my eyes open. So much has been going through my head and most of it has to do with my brain finally adjusting to missionary life. Instead of thinking about sports and music and other things, I have been thinking about lessons, what I am going to study next, people, etc. Although I will have an occasional thought or song go through my head that is not, I am FINALLY adjusting.

We found this Flag in a cold-a-sac

Skipping way ahead to Saturday night at the adult session of Stake Conference. Members of our ward gave us a ride down to conference. We got there at a weird time... before the back curtain had opened and the chapel was practically full except for the first two rows, so we picked the second row! The talks were SO good and they really hit home for me. One talk in particular that touched my heart was Elder Gary Wilde, of the seventy! He spoke about a lot of different things but one section really got me. He had all the Full time missionaries stand. We were on the second row so we stood up awkwardly and then looked around. We didn't know that THAT many missionaries were there. There were probably 10 other sets of missionaries that stood behind us. It was AMAZING, and made me realize that, YES missions are hard, YES it will keep being hard, YES you will get frustrated, and YES things will get better, and YES other missionaries all around the world are doing the same thing, and YES Heavenly Father has angels all around us that we may not be able to see or recognize until we stand for what we know. It was a really great eye opener for me.

Elder Wilde goes on and says to everyone that these are young people that have been called here for you, to meet YOU, so take care of them, support them, and so on. But it was really powerful.

Well the next morning we had a missionary meeting as well with our Ward mission leader and assistant ward mission leader and the bishop and the ward missionaries. We got a ride down with a  new move in family who has been called as the Assistant ward mission leader. WE LOVE HIM/THEM SO MUCH. Anyway the meeting was really good and both us and the leaders learned and took a lot out of it. Well next was Stake Conference and we asked our friend who we've been working with, if we should save him a seat and he said yes. Well this guy stunned us, walking in late IN A SUIT! He usually wears jean and a flannel but he showed up in a DANG SUIT! We are so proud of him.

 People here take Halloween SOOOOOO seriously. Like insanely seriously.
This is a members house and they made this Jack Skelington!

That night we were able to visit with a old little lady that watches old men with disabilities like autism and such. We visited with her and her son and daughter were there as well and they were AWESOME! At the end of our visits she always asks us to sing for her. We sang "Beautiful Savior" and it went really well. One of her autistic boys said to us that the song was sad. This sister explained to him that it wasn't sad and that Heavenly Father was speaking to him. He stood up and gave her a hug. It truly is amazing how the spirit can talk to every single person on this earth if you are just listening!

Tonight we are doing a Family Night lesson for a family. They have 5 little kids and we are doing a activity with the liahona. Guiding them around the neighborhood then ending back at their house where their parents will be waiting with open arms. WE ARE SO EXCITED!

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!
Doctrine and Covenants 84:88 "And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."

This scripture has popped up by other people saying it and just finding it written on things A LOT this past week, so apparently I need to learn something from it!


LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH!
Sister Hansen


Q&A:

MOM: How are you liking getting up at 6:30?
ALLISON: 6:30 is ok, it could be worse...

M: What are you doing for exercise?
A: We go to the church to exercise in the morning and I usually do cruntches, push ups, then volleyball drills... serving, hitting against the wall. Sometimes I will bring the soccer ball that was given to me and do soccer drills, toe taps, roll overs, and kick the crap out of it against the wall.

M: How long is your personal study? Companionship study?
A: Personal Study is one of my favorite times of the day. Learning a lot and learning to love to learn even more. Companion study is great! I love listening to Sister Val because her studies are so good.

M: What time do you have to be out of the house?
A: We have to be out of the house by 10:00 a.m.

M: How often do you get to Modesto?
A: We hardly ever go to Modesto. Maybe once a transfer.

M: How's the bike working?
A: The bike is working great, no flat tires or anything serious!

M: Are you ready to step out of "trainee" mode?
A: Being done with training feels unreal. I don't feel like I am ready to step out yet.

Amador Rocks

Dang this week has been so dang good. My insides are shaking because I am just so happy and I just want to laugh.

MTC District

Wednesday we had New Missionary meeting and we got to see the MTC group again! That was super nice. A couple of the boys are having a hard time but I think they are mostly faking. They seem really happy. The missionary meeting was really nice. There are so many new missionaries that came in! Like 22. It was super nice to see everyone in one place. I always love Zone conferences, interviews or other meetings because seeing a lot of missionaries in one place is one of my favorite things.

I have so much to say but I don't know how to say it. We have done a lot and talked to quite a few people. This door that we knocked on this guy opened the door that was obviously drunk. He had an alcoholic drink in his hand while we were talking to him. It was a referral from a guy in our ward that had given him a Book of Mormon. We asked him if that was something he would be interested in learning more about but  he went on about how much he loves this guy that gave us his name. It was really funny and it made both of our days.

So in Amador County they have this thing called "Amador Rocks" and what it is, is you paint rocks and then hide them and other people find them and post about it. So the other day at Hawkins we painted some rocks. AND I HAD SO MUCH FUN. We painted some with scriptures on them and on the rest we are going to put LDS.org. So it was kinda a missionary opportunity!

The other day I read an article in the Ensign "Finding Help After Nancy's Death" that I seriously fell in love with. But one thing that really touched my heart was his council to his kids...
-Let the pain of hard experiences drive you towards greater discipleship
-Pour out your heart in prayer
-If you feel anger toward God for allowing tragedies to happen, beseech Him to replace that anger with faith and submission
-Covenant that you will love Him and be faithful to the end.
-Drink from the word of God constantly-from the scriptures and talks and writings of modern prophets and inspired teachers
-Go to the temple with a hunger to be taught the things of eternity
-Find people for whom a personal crisis is becoming a crisis of faith, and strengthen them with your testimony of the doctrines

Sister Rose and I

I love this so much. Not only does this council help with losing a loved one but in any circumstance. His question was "What did I need to do in order to activate Jesus Christ's healing power in my life?" Once he heard the council of a modern day prophet he said "I marveled that a concept I had understood since childhood could suddenly seem so remarkable" The council was simply said by Elder Scott after his wife had died "First of all... I didn't lose her. She is on the other side of the veil. We've been sealed in that holy ordinance of the temple, and we'll be together forever." I love this article. It has so much truth and I challenge you all to read it.


I hope you have an amazing week! LOve you all!


Love Sister Hansen

What. A. Week.

Tuesday was Zone Conference! I am always so excited for these because I love seeing all (not all but a lot) of the missionaries in one place. I also knew that I would be seeing Elder Palepale and Elder Kessler from my MTC district and Elder Stock, the one who got transferred out of the district I am in now. So I was really excited about that. Zone conference was really great- as usual. A couple things that "touched my heart"...
- Can't follow His way when we aren't doing His will.
- "To harbor anger, is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die"
- You must be WILLING to be heard
- As saints we are a light unto the world and we will just get brighter
- You will have no idea who you will have an impact on
- God is aware of flat tires
So yes Zone conference was really nice.

Me and Mr. Goat

So on Thursday nights we have a man in our ward that has been wanting to start up a Bible study. He is HIGHLY educated in the scriptures... LIKE INSANELY EDUCATED. So Wednesday morning we passed out about 200 fliers to a HUGE neighborhood for the bible study. That pretty much took up our whole morning. BUUUTTT we met this one guy (probably like 25... 26....) PRAY THAT WE WILL FIND HIM AGAIN! We have been searching. He told us he just moved here with his aunt, so we gotta catch him.

Thursday rolled around and we had dinner with one of my favorite families WHO GOT TO HANGOUT WITH MY FAMILY THIS LAST WEEKEND!!  They are so down to earth and willing to do anything. Our friend with the dreads, NO LONGER HAS DREADS. We were talking to the kids and then the door behind us opened and he came out, FRESHLY cut hair. Both Sister Val's mouth and mine were wide open. We were shocked. We stayed a little too long and it takes a bit to climb back down their big dirt road back to Ione so we missed Bible study. After all that work passing out fliers for Brother B he told us that not many people came so we aren't going to be doing it anymore. Bummer. We were looking forward to that.

This kid is so much fun and so freaking adorable.

Conference was so amazing... It is hard to even put into words... but a couple things that "touched me heart" were these...
When Uchtdorf spoke first I was like DAAANNNGGG starting off strong! His talk really was STRONG. I loved when he said "We must have the WILLINGNESS to swim up stream when necessary". Is swimming upstream easy...? Heck no, but that's the point. With Christ we are able to do hard things. So yeah I really liked that.
I LOVED Bednar's talk. Not going to go into detail but I love his comparison of our lives to an "Amazing Tapestry carefully woven". This conference really spoke to me.... Man, God is so aware of all of us.
W. Craig Zwick, This guy was funny! "Look beyond what you see" the people that you work with are probably going to have imperfections as we all do but if we didn't "Look beyond what we see" then we would never be finding anyone to teach. We have to look at their hearts and their intents. And "Forget yourself and go to work" this is not the first time I have heard this. Our mission president says this all the time, but it is so true. Nothing about this mission should be for you, it is ALL for Him.
Bonnie L. Oscarson: unless we lose ourselves in the service to others our lives will be purposeless, DO NOT MISS THE OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE.
Cutest thing when Elder Holland said missionaries our little 6 year old friend
turned to us and said "MISSIONARIES, That's you guys!" I loved when he said "Perfection is still pending" and adding on to that, it always will. What authority do we have to judge another. We don't.

Preston Castle

Those are just a couple things that really touched my heart from conference and I am sure that all of us got a very important message from it. I love and sustain the Prophets and Apostles, and believe every word they say and testify that they are true. Neil L. Anderson's little tribute to Elder Hales was so touching. We will all graduate from mortality but until then we must work hard, strive to be like Christ and endure to the end. I really love this Gospel and I am so grateful to be where I am.
God be with you!
Love,
Sister Hansen

Women's broadcast

This week has been full of visiting people and SERVICE!!

We felt that we needed to go and see a less active lady in our ward, so we did. We got there and her garage was open and her two little girls were riding their bikes around the garage. We pull up and they wave at us and then their mom comes out and says "Oh hey girls". We ended up helping her clean and build a bed for her youngest girl. We got to pray with her and she taught her girls to pray it was actually kinda nice.

Elder Powell Made us Skirts!!

Guess what?! YES MORE VOLLEYBALL! The YSA class invited us to share a message with them and so we did and then we got to play volleyball! There were A LOT of people there. It was just a ward thing but a lot of less actives and non-members showed up to play from Galt and Sacramento and so forth. It was a good show. Then Friday we got to play a little bit with the Fowler's after we shared a message with them as well. I recommend studying and pondering on Exodus 14:14. A VERY short scripture full of so much truth.

Saturday morning we headed out to Murphy's for an Emergency Preparedness Fair that a lady in the Murphy's ward was in charge of and she asked if we could come and help out. Murphy's is about an hour and 20 minutes away from Ione and we had to be there by 8:30. It was a busy morning and a long day at the fair. We were NOT aloud to proselyte so that was sorta hard, but we were seen. After we got home within the next 5 minutes we were out the door again to go build a shed for a member in the ward. Westy and Booboo came and helped and we had a hoot. We just messed around and the shed was up in a matter of... 4 hours or so... HAHAHA. Ok it took a bit but the shed was 7' by 7' and 8 feet tall. So it was sorta fast. ***BAD MISSIONARY*** It overlapped into the women's broadcast so we actually watched it the next day.

Sunday morning! Beautiful testimony meeting. It sort of had a trend. Christ LOVES us, and no trial or tribulation is put in your life without knowing you can overcome it.

Sunday we got to watch the Women's broadcast with the lady that we built the shed for. Since she was helping and neither of us watched it.
QUESTIONS OF THE SOUL:
-Why didn't I say that...?
-What does Jesus Christ mean to you?
-What is mattering to you?
-Can you Recognize the Spirit?
OTHER:
-"Bound to Him by loving ties"
- COMMIT TO FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST!
This conference was amazing and just like my mom said, I AM listening with different ears now. These are LOADED with helpful information. Grateful for the opportunity and resources we have to listen to talks and partake of others knowledge of the restored Gospel. Their testimonies have strengthened mine.

I remember in the MTC at our Goodbye devotional, the MTC president said "You will experience heartbreak on your mission, much more than a dear John or dear Jane letter. This heartbreak I am talking about is when an Investigator that you have been working with no longer would like to meet with you." Well I have received my first heartbreak on my mission. This morning we received the text that E and M can not read the Book of Mormon anymore. My heart LITERALLY hurt. But I just had to realized that we planted a seed that may grow later down the road, but for now we have to let go. These things happen and I am so grateful for my companion to lift me up and say KEEP MOVING FORWARD. Cause that is all you can do. Loved them and wish them the best.

Sister Hansen

Spiders, Snakes, yodi's! Oh my!

Highlights from this week in Ione, California:

This week has been FULL. Trials, happiness, joy, tears, and everything.

I can't explain the feelings in my heart, but something I can say is God is so wise. He new exactly where I needed to be at exactly the right time. My whole life has been a build up to the moments I have had on my mission. I thought that I would have to calm down my personality so everyone didn't think I was crazy, but my personality, my loud, obnoxious, bold, "tell it how it is" personality is what has helped me connect with people. Many people told me before the mission to "be myself". That is exactly what I am doing. God sent ME to Modesto, California.God sent ME to Ione, California. Why would I be anyone else?

I want to bear my testimony that this church is so VERY true and that God knows all. He has put people into our lives for a reason. I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve and to meet these people.

Note from Mom: I woke up to a text Monday morning that had this picture attached and it said "We love Sister Hansen". We love the good people in Ione who send random pictures and take such good care of Sister Hansen and Sister Valgardson.

EVERYONE NEEDS TO WATCH THE YSA DEVOTIONAL FROM BEDNAR. IT IS AWESOME.

I can't eat Chinese anymore because we eat it literally all the time, as well as Mexican
and pizza.

Everyone is super pumped about Halloween and they take it super serious here.

Sister Val ran over a snake on her bike, We ran over a tarantula in the car, and we almost hit a coyote.

I beat a member at speed 10+ times and he won 1 game... so that was fun.

Ward Choir has started again and it was nice to have some music practice again. I LOVE MUSIC.

AND HUSKY PUPPY. Members got a new pooch. He is so cute!

"I don't need easy, I just need possible." - Bethany Hamilton

SORRY ITS JUMBLED BUT I DON'T HAVE TIME!

Love,
Sister Hansen

BE YOURSELF

I have officially been out for a whole transfer. I can't believe it. This email probably isn't going to be super long because the week seriously consisted of service. A LOT of it.

But it has been an amazing week. Full of the spirit and amazing people. I have realized that every single experience in my whole life has led me and prepared me to my mission today. Even my nic-name has helped me connect with people. I am so happy to share my corky personality with others. One piece of advice that I got multiple times before I left on my mission is "Be Yourself" and I LIVE off of this advice. It is seriously the only way you are able to connect with people.

Note from parents: Allison's dad always called her Boo Boo when she was little. I (mom) got a text with this picture late Saturday night that said, "We have a Boo Boo too!" So here are two Boo Boo's!

I GOT TO PLAY VOLLEYBALL. Seriously felt so good and it has led to less active members participating in church activities! Again learning how to play volleyball has blessed other peoples life. At the end of Volleyball someone said "We didn't know we were playing with a professional volleyball player and a professional dancer!" I WAS SERIOUSLY HONORED.

Some of Boo Boo's family. They have 12 kids and their house reminds me of Grandma Hansen's. I LOVE IT UP THERE!

While out tracting we ran into missionaries from another religion also knocking on doors and wanted to talk to us. He showed us a video about Christ (or so he said) it was more like a video of happiness... then gave us pamphlets. Then it was our turn. We gave him a #princeofpeace card and bore him a quick testimony. Cool experience, but I don't think he is gonna be watching that video... We knocked a lot of doors that day and it was pretty hot outside, but again NO EFFORT IS WASTED! (Alma 29:14-15)

 I LOVE my district!

Transfer calls were yesterday and we are both staying in Ione! I am so very grateful! One of our less active members said that she would go to church if we both stayed here. So this morning she texted us and said "so?" and we said back "start picking out your outfit, you are coming to church with us!" So that is a blessing.

I love it here in Ione and there is much work to be done. But I encourage all those who are reading this to continue your own missionary work where you are. It is so very important that as members of the church, even if we do not have an official missionary tag, we understand our role. That is to spread the word to all those who are willing to listen and to fellowship those who don't want to listen (for now). If you don't have an official name tag then write it on your heart. I love you all and I pray for you. This is my challenge to you this week as well as study Hymn number 134, which is 'I Believe in Christ'.


LOVE YOU ALL AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK!
Love,
Sister Allison Hansen