THE VISION OF THE SOUTH

"Make no small plans: This is the vision I have for the South. I believe that one day the South will baptize more people into the church than all other English speaking missions in the world together....We will see the time when we will baptize hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands...In your day you will see a million members of the church in the South. There will be temples plural in the Southern States. What a great call you have to serve with these marvelous people." President Spencer W. Kimball

Sunday, November 30, 2014

FROM PH: 40 Day Fast

Sent Date: Sunday, November 30, 2014
Author: President Hansen

Dear Missionaries,
We understand that last year y'all did a "40 Day Fast" from something that was keeping you from being closer to Christ, in preparation for the general authority's visit . This January 12, Elder Teh, of the First Quorum of the Seventy is coming to our mission to do a tour and speak to us at our zone conferences.

If we start our fast this week, it will be about 40 days till Elder Teh's visit. This fast is personal and can be whatever you feel is holding you back Spiritually. It may be an obedience issue, or maybe a fast from negative thoughts about yourself, other missionaries, the work, the mission etc. You may want to direct your studies to help in this fast. You may or may not decide to share your ideas with us, but know that we will be praying for your success in your endeavors.

We love you all and pray that the Spirit will be your constant companion to help you through whatever struggles you are dealing with. We are here and at your service anytime.

You are the best!
Love,
President and Sister Hansen

Saturday, November 29, 2014

FROM PH: He is the Gift

He Is The Gift pass along cards
Sent Date: Saturday, November 29, 2014
Author: President Hansen

Dear Sisters and Elders,
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We sure did. We loved spending time with a bunch of missionaries from Baton Rouge.

As we prepare to give out the pass alongs over the next few days, I wanted to give you a few thoughts. We might say something like, "This video is really special and will bring the true meaning of Christmas into your Holiday season. If you really love it you may want to share this video with your friends on Facebook and other social media. We would like to come by in a couple of days and see what you thought about it." That gives us a chance to turn the giving of the cards into a finding experience.The Church is counting on having people share this message on their Facebook pages so that the message can spread to many more people and maybe go viral.

We can give a couple of cards to members to give to their neighbors if you think they will give them out, but remember they have their own cards in the December Ensign. Also share the video with less active and and recent converts. The Church is launching a youtube takeover so after that you can ask everyone you see if they have seen it. Don't be afraid to watch it with them on their iphone or ipad. Share the Nativity video or Joy to the World video with investigators. Talk about successes with members. Tell members about success stories from sharing the cards.Invite people to church Christmas programs, etc. We can have fun with this over the Holiday season and have some missionary success if we are bold share with power.


Here are some excerpts from the letters:
-----So we took this member (an awesome guy who's only been home from his mission like 5 months so he still has the missionary fire) to Doug's and had a REALLY great discussion. The member is a convert, so you could tell that Doug was really intrigued by what he had to say, and they built a really good friendship. The member and Doug became such good friends from that one visit that they've made plans to have dinner together and i know that that will prove to be a huge blessing for Doug and his conversion. Bringing members to lessons can really make these big differences, we need to do this more.

-----We invited him to be baptized and said he would but wouldn't set a date because they hadn't decided if they wanted to get married or not. So we told them that was what God wanted them to do is to be a family and that though they may be fighting and struggling Christ can help them overcome that. Then we decided to do something bold and teach the Law of Chastity. Neither of us had ever taught it before and yeah it’s awkward but we just decided we needed to be bold and help them get their life together. On Friday we went over and it was awkward to start since the girl knew exactly what we were going to do when we passed out the pamphlet. We thought they might be angry with us and drop us but about halfway through the lesson they whisper to each other and stop us and ask what they have to do to get married. Man it was a miracle!!! It was so awesome to see them make that decision. They told us that they wanted to thank us for helping them see they needed to change their lives. It really showed how being bold really helps.

-----We were teaching... (one of our investigators who is dating someone in our ward) and we asked him if he had been reading the Book Of Mormon and he said that he hadn't. Elder _____then asked him if his girlfriend broke up with him (that is how we met him) and he wasn't allowed to come back and he couldn't meet with us would he still pursue the church and he said yes but he didn't exactly know why, I told him it was because he was feeling the spirit, which is the same feeling he gets when we come over and teach him and that it will always draw him back.


Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Wedding! (Not mine)


PS  I am good. Thanksgiving we have some stuff to do.  All I need is the stuff that I asked you for last week.  Yeah, I come home June 11th.  Sorry I have known that for about a year.   I haven't told you that?? Sorry.

Zone Leader

SO here I am in Metairie and I am driving a Toyota Tacoma!! BOOM!!! This area is awesome.  I have heard about this place forever so it is awesome to be here. I am just running around trying to learn the area. It is crazy though because I am in a big old ward for the first time in my mission.  It is weird.

Busy Day, Happiness is a Choice

This week was crazy! It stared out with District Meeting which I am not going to lie, it is super nice not to have to prepare for. Then we went on exchanges with Kenner Spanish.  We biked around with Kenner and that was fun to get to know another area.  It didn't help me learn mine but hey, half a loaf is better than no loaf. Then during the exchange the APs called  us and told us the topic for ZTM.  Normally we have a big old meeting but Pres was in Florida at a conference this weeks so they just assigned us something it was Happiness.  I guess our mission is having lots of problems with depression so we got to try and help them.
 
Exchanges ended on Thursday so we had to plan 1. the ZTMs and 2. the wedding that is this Saturday. So we run and do all that and just like every night we come into the apartment at 9:30 on the dot completely exhausted and just like every other night our phone explodes with every missionary needs something. Friday we have ZTM.  I was super nervous but it turned out really well. Then we can finally go see people. Then Saturday night at 10 I get a call from the High councilmen and he wants me to give a talk in church so I say sure...and then Church. 
 
This is what church is when you are a Zone Leader.  You go to PEC.  Then church during which you teach a class, give a talk and then as soon as you are done with your talk, you translate for the High counsilman that missed his calling as an auctioneer. Then coordination, 3 hours of it haha. Now I know that sounds a lot like complaining but it is not. We are busy. I have opportune abilities to serve so many people. I am learning and growing in was I didn't even think possible. Life is awesome. Be happy it's just a choice, make it.

Elder Andrews

PS LOVE Y'ALL


Monday, November 24, 2014

The Wedding

Weekly Letter - 24 Nov 2014
Sent Date: Monday, November 24, 2014
Author: Andrews, Zachary Jacob

This week we planned a wedding. We started a family, it was amazing! They are so happy. We were talking to them yesterday and it was amazing to see the change that just and earthly marriage can such a difference. Their daughter was so happy. She was ecstatic to have her family together. It is so cool to see how she understands what is going on. We planned, set up, and cleaned up we did everything for this wedding they just showed up but it was so worth it!! Seriously one of the best days ever. Now she is going to get baptized in a two weeks.

We also committed a man named Tommy Andrews to baptism... No relation. So awesome. He is so excited. It is going to be so cool. The Zone is really good Elder Drollinger and I are a little worried about the Laplace District. They are doing good but there are a few points of concern. Really though our Zone is doing really well. No problems. I am learning so much as a Zone Leader. It is interesting to face so many different challenges. Life is good.
Elder Andrews

Sent Date: Friday, November 28, 2014
Author: President Hansen
What a great week.

Monday, November 17, 2014

Busy, Happy

Author: Andrews, Zachary Jacob

This week was crazy! it stared out with District Meeting which i am not going to lie it is super nice not to have to prepare for. Then we went on exchanges with Kenner Spanish and i went and biked around with Kenner and that was fun to get to know their area it didn't help me learn mine but hey, half a loaf is better than no loaf. So exchange ended on Thursday so we had to plan 1 the ZTMs and 2 the wedding that is this Saturday. So we run and do all that and just like every night we come into the apartment at 930 on the dot completely exhausted and just like every other night our phone explodes with every missionary needs something.

Friday we have ZTM i was super nervous but it turned out really good. Then we can finally go see people. Then Saturday night at 10 i get a call from the High councilmen and he wants me to give a talk in Church so i say sure... and then Church, This is what church is when you are a Zone Leader you go to PEC then church in which you teach a class, Give a talk and then as soon as you are done with your talk you translate for the High counsilman that missed his calling as an auctioneer. Then Coordination 3 hours of it haha. Now i know that sounds a lot like complaining but it is not. We are busy. I have opportune abilities to serve so many people. I am learning and growing in was i didn't even think possible. Life is awesome. Be happy its just a choice, make it.

President Hansen this is the life!

Sent Date: Monday, November 17, 2014
Author: President Hansen
Translation is tough.

Monday, November 10, 2014

Awesome Area, New ZL

Weekly Letter - 10 Nov 2014
Sent Date: Monday, November 10, 2014
Author: Andrews, Zachary Jacob

This area is awesome i have heard about this place forever so it is awesome to be here. I am just running around trying to learn the area. It is crazy though because i am in a big old ward. It is weird. I am super excited to be ZL and serve all these wonderful missionaries. This week i have been studying about love and how we can love others better and i like what Jesus says in Matthew 22:39 and i like how there is two parts one love 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. We all look at this and see I need to love my Neighbor I need to love everyone . But it says "as thyself" so we need to love everyone including ourselves. WE need to one realize how awesome we are. We need to have love for ourselves. if you increase your love for others the love you have for yourself will increase!

Purpose Driven Missionaries
Sent Date: Monday, November 17, 2014
Author: President Hansen
Dear Sisters and Elders,
As most of you have noticed it was a very busy week for Sister Hansen and me. I was able to read each and every letter, but I didn't respond because there was just not enough time. I am so proud of you though. I am seeing a remarkable level of commitment and desire in the missionaries. We are seeing more lessons taught and way more of the lessons taught are to non-members.

An amazing number of you talked about how much excitement and fulfillment you had through finding. I know that tracting is not the most fun of the things a missionary does but as we learn to find and teach on the doorsteps, it prepares us to know how to convert referrals to progressing investigators. The Lord is blessing our mission because of your work and faith. We are seeing missionaries become way more purpose driven, spending way less time "member chilling" and way more time productively teaching investigators.

We pray that this week we will all continue to grow.

Sunday, November 9, 2014

FROM PH: Short Member Visits

Author: President Hansen
Dear Elders and Sisters,
I have really loved reading your letters. They mean so much to me each week. I always think, what amazing missionaries are in this mission.

In my contacts with President Stock and President Burkhardt I have learned that the members of the stakes feel like missionaries that stay at a member's home for more than the one hour time allotted for dinner appointments are being less faithful. Both Presidents expressed the desire to have missionaries show they know their purpose and demonstrate to the members that they have places to go and people to see and that they can't linger at member's homes. I had an investigator tell me the same thing this week. He said that the missionaries teach him and when they leave he feels the spirit leave with them. That wouldn't happen if the missionaries finished the lesson and then lingered at the investigator home and didn't leave after commitments, testimonies and prayer.

I know that this is true too. Let's keep all of our member visits short and to the point. Watch the blessings come and our lessons become more spiritual and purpose driven with both our members and investigators. Short lessons and dinner appointments lead to baptisms.

Just a few notes from the missionary letters. I am trying to keep this shorter:
-----It was kinda crazy at the beginning because the grandma was the only one paying attention and people were walking in and out and all and then Linisha said something about how she knows about our church and started asking about Joseph Smith and so I answered a question and testified of the Book of Mormon and it's purpose in helping us know the Doctrine of Jesus Christ but also being a witness that Joseph Smith was truly a prophet called of God and that he translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God. The whole atmosphere changed and the Spirit was really strong. Linisha was SO excited! she was so happy and was asking if she could be a missionary and saying she believed everything we were saying and she was just smiling so big. I asked her why she was so happy and she said, "I don't know all I know is 10 minutes ago all I could think was about how tomorrow at the bus stop this girl is gonna get it! and now I don't even care, i am just happy and I can't stop smiling!" It was SO COOL to see how the Spirit completely changed her whole attitude.

-----(I) had this idea that we should invite her to have dinner at a members home with us. We had a dinner appointment with them that night and they have a daughter Shelby's age. I called and asked the member and she said that would be fine, so I texted and asked Shelby. She said she would enjoy that so she drove us out to their home. It was super awesome! The dad is a convert to the church and he joined when he was 19 (Shelby is 20) and living here in (name of town). He ended up sharing his conversion story after dinner and then went into a personal experience he had in the MTC, when he really learned for himself that all of it was true. It was definitely spirit led. When we left their house Shelby said she really enjoyed it and she felt really good in their home. I was able to testify to her that it was the spirit she felt and she can continue to feel that in her life.

-----When I first got here, all they (the members) would talk about is how dead the area is.  Now, I don't think I've heard one remark like that. The Lord is pouring out His Spirit and it has been wonderful. I think the members are starting to see that there is hope here.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Another Day, Another Lesson

Transfers!! I am leaving and going to Metairie with Elder Drollinger. I am nervous about my new calling and transfers. I am just a little bit scared because my new calling is to be Zone Leader...scary.  I hope I will do a good job. But I am excited!  Another day, another lesson! It is all super cool.

This week we have been working really hard and I have been so tired.  Super tired!  It was really drawing on me. But then, like a miracle that only the misinformed can appreciate, Day Light Savings came to the rescue. Miracle! Anyway I am really sad to leave.  I really love this branch a ton. It has been an amazing time to be here and to meet the people that I have met. Today I have just been saying goodbye to everyone and it is super sad. This is truly an amazing place.  I have learned so much. But now I have to go somewhere else to learn and I am so SO excited for that!

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Life is Awesome

Weekly Letter - 04 Nov 2014
Sent Date: Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Author: Andrews, Zachary Jacob

This week we have been working really hard and i have been so tired super tired it was really drawing on me. But then like a miracle that only the misinformed can appreciate daylight savings came to the rescue. Miracle! Anyway i am really sad to leave i really love this branch a ton. It has been an amazing time to be here and meet the people that i have met. Today i have just been saying goodbye to everyone and it is super sad. This is truly and amazing place. i have learned so much. Ha but now i have to go somewhere else to learn and i am so SO excited for that!

This week i read Judges and i really just love how the Lord never gives up on those gosh dang stubborn Jews. They do something dumb and the Lord bails them out. The whole time i was reading it i was thinking ya bunch of idiots what are you doing shape up be good, but then i thought, how many times has the Lord had to bail me out and done it EVERY SINGLE TIME. We are super luck that the Lord loves us. We are soooooooo lucky that we have someone to bail us out every single time without fail. We need to learn to rely on him and also realize that we are relying on him. LIFE IS AWESOME.


Sent Date: Thursday, November 6, 2014
Author: President Hansen
I am so excited to work with you on the mission leadership council.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

We Got Fed!


Faith is a Seed


Allergic to Bees

This week was cool! We had an awesome FHE with all the Hispanics and it was such a success!! We had tons of people come and it was so great! I also learned that I am allergic to bees..... I got stung on the hand on Wednesday. Thursday I woke up and my hand was huge.... So I looked on the Internet to check out what I should do. It said that after 24 hour it is actually  a problem so I waited and it got worse and so I got some Benadryl and spent conference extremely tired. But this week was awesome! We had a lesson with a family that is really prepared and I am really excited to show them and everyone here the amazing messages that were shared in conference!!

Conference was amazing. The messages so inspired I had so many themes that came out to me. I would invite you to join me and review conference over and over again to see what things we missed. Something that I didn't do before my mission was review conference after conference weekend. I really enjoy the time in between conference that we have to review and see what we need to know for the next 6 months. One theme that I got was Follow the Prophet cause he is the Prophet. So let's read his words and follow them!

Love ya

Elder Andrews

FROM PH: Happy People

Happy People
Sent Date: Sunday, November 2, 2014
Author: President Hansen
Dear Elders and Sisters,
This is something that Elder Ruesch found on lds.org that I thought was helpful. It's 10 things that Supremely Happy People Do:
1. Happy people surround themselves with other happy people. Joy is contagious. People are four times more likely to be happy in the future with happy people around them.
2. Happy people try to be happy. When happy people don’t feel happy, they cultivate a happy thought and smile about it.
3. Happy people spend money more on others than they spend on themselves. Givers experience what scientists call the “helper’s high.”
4. Happy people have deep in-person conversations. Sitting down to talk about what makes a person tick is a good practice for feeling good about life.
5. Happy people use laughter as a medicine. A good old-fashioned chuckle releases lots of good neurotransmitters. A study showed that children on average laugh 300 times a day versus adults who laugh 15 times a day.
6. Happy people use the power of music. Researchers found that music can match the anxiety-reducing effects of massage therapy. (mission approved music only)
7. Happy people exercise and eat a healthful diet. Eating a poor diet can contribute to depression.
8. Happy people take the time to unplug and go outside. Uninterrupted screen time brings on depression and anxiety.
9. Happy people get enough sleep. When people run low on sleep, they are prone to feel a lack of clarity, bad moods, and poor judgment.
10. Happy people are spiritual.

Lets have a happy mission. Here are some ideas from letters that I received this week:
-----I love Elder _____ and his love for time. Even if we have 45 min before we have something we have to do or somewhere we have to be he always has the desire to go out and try to see more people and to use every minute that we have to doing missionary work. Yes I am tired and yes some days I just want to fall over dead but we have found more investigators in those sort 15-45 minutes of crunch time than we have in one whole day of seeking referrals and finding Ideas. I can truly say the Lord blesses us so much more if we are using His resources to the fullest.

-----We had a really productive week we hit 19 lessons and managed to get a less active to come to church. We are working towards be more exactly obedient. We have been seeing the fruits.

------The commitment I left her was to read the intro of the book of Mormon and the first chapter of Nephi. We asked her if she was able to do that and she said yes. She said she actually read the first page of the Book of Mormon all the way until Chapter 5 in First Nephi. She then told us she took notes on each chapter. She showed us the notes and they were the thoughts she had on the chapter and the questions she had.... Then after that she told us she knows this book is true and that Joseph Smith really saw God the Father and his Son and translated the BOM….We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ and she loved the repentance and baptism part and how she can be clean. She started tearing up when we told her she can be baptized and her sins can be washed away and then receive the Holy Ghost. Riley her husband worked things out with the Bishop and can baptize her on November 22.