Week 2 - Jun 8th - Jun 14th, 2014

Sunday, June 8, 2014 - Saturday, June 14, 2014

Last week at MTC, Provo.  Sunday church meetings with the missionaries was a special experience.  The spirit of the whole MTC campus place is something special and can bring excitement and hope to one quickly just by associating with all of the other nearly 2,000 missionaries.

We spent most of this week learning how missions operate internally with regard to finances, housing, vehicles, referrals, materials and supplies and support.  We had excellent young teachers and trainers.  

It is really impressive to see how the Lord has inspired his work to come together in such an amazingly organized and efficient process.   All of this works together to fulfill the purpose of inviting people to come unto Him.  For those of you who haven't yet, please do so and let Him bless your life now and forever with happiness and joy that is endless and eternal.

Tuesday evening at the regular missionary devotional we were privileged to have Elder Quentin Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve speak to us and deliver a wonderful and uplifting message of direction and encouragement.

Us short people rarely get the back row, but there we are back row center!

We closed up our training on Thursday afternoon with a brief and very special testimony meeting with our District of 12 couples just as we each departed for our various destinations all around the world.  ♫ ♫ ♫



Friday, June 13, 2014 --- Our oldest son Jeremy was married at our home to his bride Lilia O'Bryant by our Bp. Adam Hall.  Jeremy and Lilia now become the 5th couple in our family joining us, our two sons and a daughter that have been married on a Friday the 13th!

Everything went very well for them, and in the process we obtained two more dear grandchildren who are so very special to us, Liza and Bryan Ortiz, Lilia's 16 and 15 year old kids.  

Saturday the 14th we held an open house in their honor at our home and enjoyed the company and visits of many people who know and love Jeremy and our family.

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!

May 2014 - Last Month Pre-Mission

May 2014


It is definitely getting more and more exciting now!  The days are passing by quickly and the date of our departure is rapidly approaching.  We are spending much of this month wrapping up some of the minor mission details and preparations.  

We've been enjoying visits with our family and friends almost daily. It's been a regular weekly joy to have Elizabeth and Noah on Tuesday afternoons.

Seems like we're also running into some "last-chance-to-do-this" type of things now so working our remaining schedule is growing a little tighter.

In addition to the mission stuff, we have birthdays this month for Lilia (9th), my mother (16th), and Annie (25th),

Mother's Day, Memorial Day, a wedding shower for Lilia, Jeremy's fiance, and planning our end of their wedding Friday, June 13th before we leave on June 16th, etc.

May 25th at 2:40 p.m. we spoke in our Riverdale 8th Ward Sacrament Meeting.  We were so happy to see many of our friends and family at the meeting.  Our kids and family prepared a wonderful meal we shared at our home afterwards while we took a little time for some 'last visits' before we leave.

We thought we'd take a few family pictures since everyone was there.

Front:  Noah, Elizabeth, Jack; Kneeling: James Liza, Marlie, Abbi;
Next: Annie, Larry, Melanie, LaVaun, Jimmy, Amber;
Back: Jeremy, Lilia, Bryan, Wendy, Tiffani, Cody, Joey, Jake.

Front:  Elizabeth, Noah, Jack,   Back:  Bryan, Marlie, Abbi, Liza, James.

Dale Hunter, LaVaun, Larry

Our plate is pretty full, but we're happy and enjoying each day!  ♫

April 2014 - 2nd Month Pre-Mission

April 2014


Happy Days! ♫ ♫ ♫  We are now retired and on Social Security. Thanks to our six kids and to all who are continuing to work and pay into the system so they can pay us back something of what we have paid in!  

We are now free from the work week to focus more time and effort on our mission preparations checklist, which is much more extensive than we ever realized it would be.


We enjoyed a wonderful General Conference weekend starting off with a temple session at Brigham.

April 4, 2014 session.

We had a nice time on a short trip to visit Melanie's sister Becky and her husband Steve and their girls Melissa and Katy at Huntington Beach.

Melanie finally worked her way through the boxes and containers in the basement completing our move here of April 2010.  My support consisted mostly of hauling off boxes and loads of stuff to the DI.


We enjoyed a very nice Easter season, with a special family Easter Saturday party and a beautiful Easter Sabbath day of worship and a small feast.  Yummmm!

By month end we had accomplished much of the time sensitive items on the checklist and now have only some more minor things to wrap up.  With all of the meals we've been having with family and friends we are going to have to seriously fast for a season when we finally get to South Africa.




It's starting to get more and more real and exciting to us now. Melanie bought a South Africa flag which we are now flying.

March 2014 - 3rd Month Pre-Mission

March 2014


We were both very, very busy preparing for retirement and working on our rather lengthy checklist of things to accomplish prior to leaving in June.


March 28th --- Larry's last day of work at Riverdale City after an unexpected career turn from banking into municipal government service.  Who would have thought?

A nice memory from my friends
at the Senior Center.

This is a wonderful book of City memories.
Chris Stone compiled and prepared it.

March 27th --- Melanie's last day of work at IHC South Ogden Clinic after an unexpected 17 years of service.  Great tributes for her from her co-workers.

The largest going away card ever!!!
Signed by them all on the back.

March 4th --- A special final City Council meeting with a little time to be recognized for service, 

then to expound and pray and bless.

Cody Hansen

Farewell speach

Like ·  · March 4 at 6:21pm near Riverdale, UT

• Seen by 10

  Anne Hansen, Joey Tracy, Wendy Hansen and 2 otherslike this.
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  Cody Hansen I meant speech.

  March 4 at 6:29pm · Like · 1
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  Wendy Hansen What did he say?

  March 4 at 8:08pm · Like
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  Cody Hansen He blessed the city. Literally.

  March 4 at 8:17pm · Like
• 

March 1970

The first stake in South Africa is organized at Transvaal. It is the first stake on the African continent. Might have been in Pretoria?

• 
  

February 2014 - 4th Month Pre-Mission

February 2014

February 13, 2014

The special day arrived and we received our mission call, gathered our family and held a special meeting to open and have Granddaughter Marlie Hansen read the letter from the prophet Pres. Thomas S. Monson.

Wendy Hansen via LDS Mission Calls

Did you know Mom & Dad and the kids are famous? The "LDS MIssion Calls" Facebook page posted your video a few days ago.

Mission Call

youtube.com

Grandma and Grandpa opening their mission call on February 13, 2014

Like ·  · Share · February 20 at 5:22pm

• Seen by everyone

  Anne Hansen, Joey Tracy and 2 others like this.
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  Larry LaVarr Hansen That's because of your wonderful work Wendy! Thanks again for memorializing a terrific moment in our family's history. ♫

  February 21 at 7:30am · Like · 1
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  LaVaun Hansen Thanks Wendy--It is very special I love it Grandma Hansen

  February 22 at 7:11am · Like · 3
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