Week 1 - Jun 1st - 7th, 2014 - Start of Month 1

Sunday, June 1, 2014 - Saturday, June 7, 2014 --- Start of Month 1


Sunday, the last login to our missionary portal on the internet gave us this reminder this morning.

Elder and Sister Hansen

  You report to the MTC in Provo, UT. to begin your mission in 1 day.

South Africa Johannesburg Mission


Monday, June 2nd arrived at the MTC at Provo.

Saturday, June 7th.  We've had an amazing and busy week.  The training and the orientation to missionary work was from the "Preach My Gospel" manual.  This really brought us back to the realization that although this is our mission, it is the Lord's work and He accomplishes it through us and by the Spirit of the Holy Ghost who helps others gain a witness of the truthfulness and importance of his Gospel.  

So, long-story short, we have learned over many years about the scriptures and the doctrine and the principles, now we are set on a path to learn how to properly discover how they are to be presented to different people in different circumstances in an inspired way that will bless their lives just as the Spirit directs not according to a scripted dialogue that gets in the way of them feeling the love of God and the Savior for them as individuals.

A happy, happy week.  We love each other and are so happy to be companions here together for this time.

This is the first of two pictures of our group of about 80 Sr. Missionaries.  You'll have to search to find Elder and Sister Hansen I suppose.  Hint:  we're still short and round.  :  )

This is the second half our our group.  Last week's group of Sr's was about 40 total compared to about 80 our week.  Some weeks they have between 150-200 to train.  In the center front seated are two single sisters who are called as companions to serve together in Australia Melbourne doing records preservation.

We were all divided up into districts of about 4 couples.  We had morning and afternoon returned missionary teachers who are students here at BYU.  Our afternoon teacher here is Elder Copans standing by me.  He served in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission, so we had some good talks with him.  The couples to our left are Elder and Sister Clarkson from Essex England going to Pittsburg PA, the Phillips from Missouri going to the Independence Visitor's Center, and the Gulls from Spanish Fork going to the Oregon Portland mission.  We've become very close to them in this short weeks' time and are so happy for them too!