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

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

And Home Again














Last Email


End of Days Frustration

May 26, 2015

Nothing is really happening. We are just chugging along. Nothing is not really happening.
This week I have to go on exchanges with my district leader who wants to go on exchanges for 4 times the norm. I suspect it is to get away from his companion. But now I have no authority to tell him he is wrong and that is not what he should do. I already had him read in the white handbook which should have done it, it is very explicit. But he always gets what he wants and this is what he wants.

Both this week I am with him and then the next I am with his comp 8 days of exchanges in the next 14 when it should be 3, maybe.



Monday, May 25, 2015

FROM PH: Don't Overstay your Welcome

Memorial Day edicate
Sent Date:  Monday, May 25, 2015
Author:  President Hansen

Dear Elders and Sisters,
I have really enjoyed visiting with you over the last few days. You are all great missionaries. I love spending time with you.

Please be thoughtful of members and investigators today and always as we go into their houses. Remember that they have things planned and so you must not impose on their time. With members stay only the amount of time that you have been invited for. If you invite yourselves to send letters, don't stay for more than an hour. If they haven't been clear ask them, "Do you mind if we stay for about an hour to write our letters?" With investigators be even more careful of their time. A half hour is a reasonable time to spend in their homes. When we spend longer they feel stressed and don't know how to get missionaries out without offending them, so they will start to make excuses when you ask to visit them next time.

Here are a few excerpts from letter the missionaries have sent this week:
------There was this lady that came to church for the first time and in broken English she said to us "I want to get baptized. You'll help me, yes?" I was so taken back. She wants to be baptized on June 6th! Her name is Eddy and she told us that all her life she has been searching for the truth and she has felt that she has found it.

------this car pulls over and a woman says, "Hey! Come here!! Do you remember me? Yall walked up to me and my neighbor when we were on her porch last week!" I recognized her and she went on to say "My name's Vonne. Here's my address. Come and see me. Do y'all have a brochure or something I can read in the meantime?" biking sisters We biked out and it was SUPER hot and humid. Like I thought I was going to just melt away. I prayed for just a little bit of cool rain. I put my head down and started biking harder. All of a sudden, I felt all these drops on my feet. I got excited! But when I raised my head, I realized that the drops I felt were the drops of sweat dripping off my head and arms on to my feet... I just laughed... :)

------She opened the door and said "oh I thought you were my neighbor, but come in anyways." She got us water and made us comfortable. She said that her daddy is a Baptist Preacher, and she has always been curious. She is married and they have 2 daughters. We taught her the Restoration of the Gospel and she was just soaking it up. She offered a kneeling prayer and asked for God to direct her. Then she stood up and with tears in her eyes she said "I prayed last night that God would point me in the right direction today." She went on to say "when I was praying I was thinking more like he would point towards those I could serve. But I can see that this is His answer to what I literally asked for." We set up a time so we could come back when her husband was home, he had majored in Christianity History. Kind of intimidating but we came back. We taught him the Restoration and talked about it. He then said it just makes sense that there would be a Book of Mormon and a need for Restoration.

------so Elder _____ put the address in and we started driving when we arrived at the address we had put in we realized that we typed the wrong address in. To be honest I was a little frustrated and in my head I was thinking, come on kid how hard is it to put the right address in. Well I turned around and started to get back on the main road, and right then I had a feeling that he were there for a reason. So I turned the car around and pulled off the side of the road, then I turned to Elder _____ and said we were sent here for a reason, lets find out what it is. We knock four doors and nothin... so we knock on the fifth door and this guy answers and immediately I knew that we had been sent here to talk to him....He also told us that he wants us to teach his buddies as well,

------At this families house they had people coming and going while we taught four people in the home and out of nowhere this lady comes up to me and asks me about what we were talking about. I summed up what we were talking about and I addressed all their concerns and questions as I read in 2 Nephi. It made sense to everybody. I was saying things that were exactly what they needed to hear. When I was done reading and explaining the lady Margaret was in tears. Her family laughed at her crying. She is catholic and said before that she is really catholic but when her family asked why she was crying she said with tears in her eyes "It’s true, It’s true, What they said is true."

Monday, May 4, 2015

FROM PH: More Flirting :(

Telephoning Elders and Sisters
Sent Date:  Monday, May 4, 2015
Author:  President Hansen

Dear Elders and Sisters,
I am still hearing of missionaries talking on the phone with the opposite gender. Several leaders have told me that they need to counsel with sisters. On page 33 of the Missionary Handbook it says: "Do not telephone, write, e-mail or accept calls or letters from anyone of the opposite sex living within or near mission boundaries..." While there are exceptions for reporting to mission leaders, when we turn those calls into social calls or counseling sessions, we are breaking mission rules.

At the bottom of the next page it says, "Do not counsel missionaries of the opposite sex, even if you are serving in a leadership position..." Sisters, if you are having problems call the Sister Training Leaders , Sister Hansen or even call me.

Please, stop the social calls to other missionaries. It is not fair to your companions or to your commitment to the Lord.

If you feel this is a problem please, call me and let's discuss it.

Remember Every Friday at 9AM the whole mission will be praying at once for families to join the church a 9AM. The Fridays Prayer for Finding Families  will continue for the next few weeks. Elders Muhurla and White had a great experience last Friday right after praying for success in finding families.

Excerpts:
------He told us that he used to be an history teacher at Tulane before Katrina. Randomly he had a spinal hemorrhage so he could no longer work :( he was telling us how he used to teach about the 4 major movements and one of them was Mormonism. People used to ask him if the gold plates really are real and he would always respond "Well they say they are, and I believe them." WHAT? Its gets better..so he then goes on to tell us how he read some of the Book of Mormon and loved it, but somehow lost it in the move. You shoulda seen his face light up when we told him we could give him a new one. He was soo happy to read it again :) the elders are gunna go back and see him :)

------He looked at the picture of Jesus and then at us and said "I think that this man sent you to me. I have been working inside all day and the first time in hours I come outside y'all are just walking by. He sent you to me. You might just be looking at the newest member of your church!" The spirit was SO strong when he said that! …People tell us and promise us EVERY week that they will come and haven't come once my 19 weeks here in Luling. So the next day we were waiting in the front of the church and 10 minutes before the meeting started Mr. Eric pulled in! WHAT?!?!?

------"My son is on a mission," She said, her eyes shinning, "I've seen the boys here before but never Y'all. Are there a lot of churches around here then?"
"We have a church over on hwy 30 and there is a set of elders over each and then we're over both."
"Oh I see, I'm not a member," She explained.
"Oh," I answered, surprised and not sure what to say.
"I feel like God is speaking to me she said," tears welled up in her eyes as she handed me her number and her name. "I think I'm ready to hear it," she said.

------We went and saw him on Wednesday with our Branch President. So we went over to teach him the first lesson and it was crazy! He felt STRONG impressions of the Holy Ghost 3 times. Each time he said, "Look! My hairs are standing up!" Just talking about it I can feel the spirit. And he told us he wants us to come by every day. He is going to progress SO fast. We did not commit him to read, or come to church, or stop drinking, he is doing it all on his own! He said, "I'm going to read this, now, what time are you guys going to pick me up. Get me a ride, when does church start?... 9? Okay, I'll be ready sitting on my porch by 8, if not, knock on my door and I'll be ready!

Saturday, April 18, 2015

FROM PH: Bad Week for Numbers

Ouch! Bad week for numbers
Sent Date:  Saturday, April 18, 2015
Author:  President Hansen

Dear Mission Leaders,
It was so great to see all of you in zone conferences over the last two weeks.  I know the mission is really going to have great success with all the great things we have learned lately. We have had a couple of slow weeks after the great surge forward we have been enjoying. I think that the rainy weather and the flu that has been going around have slowed our progress. We need to make sure that all of our missionaries are not allowing little things to keep them from the work. I have heard from many who said they were not able to get out because of the rain. Help them to accomplish more, get rides, etc.  and not be stopped by small things. Also, I know that a lot of times missionaries choose service over teaching and finding. The best service we can do is to teach the doctrine of Christ.

How can we as leaders motivate our missionaries to more faithfully serve Heavenly Father? We need to set a vision of what can be done. Goals for our districts and zones that each missionary can get behind so that we are constantly finding, teaching, baptizing, activating and reactivating. Let's get our missionaries behind a program of finding daily, teaching daily and working with our ward members.
The goal the matters most to me right now is the three daily contacts with people we pass by. If we can get every missionary to do this every day the area will blossom.

All my love,
President Hansen

------(Companion) and I decided to take a faith walk. It took us 7.5 hours just to walk one block. We talked to everyone and anyone. We even helped someone move out! We had more contacts that day than we have had in a whole week! So many in fact that we lost track. Because of the Faith walk and the help of the Lord, our schedule for this week is full with return appointments.

------We have also committed 4 different people to baptism this past week on the first lessons. They all said yes!

------we were going to make proselyting Monday as productive as we possibly could ... and it was one of the best days of my whole mission! We taught so much!! We set high goals and we promised ourselves as a companionship that we would hit all of them. We hit our 5 other lessons but we weren't quite sure how we were going to get a lesson with a member present so we prayed and Elder _____ has the idea that we should go and visit one of the less actives that we are working with that lives in a big apartment complex and ask who we could go and teach with him, and he had a lady so we went and talked to her he testified and (he)said the closing prayer and said after that he will come back to church Sunday! It really was amazing!!

------This past week we have contacted so many new people and have so many new investigators! Experiences that used to be far and few between and considered huge miracles now happen daily! We are meeting so many people who are interested in the gospel and I'll be leaving at least half a dozen new investigators and several potential investigators when I leave.

------My branch president in the MTC told us something to the effect of "if you're an average missionary, your mission will be difficult. If you strive to be an excellent missionary, it will become much easier."

Monday, April 13, 2015

8 Weeks Left!

I am good! It is crazy that I only have 8 weeks left.  I am almost home.  It is crazy! Anyway I am kinda freaking out that I only have 8 weeks.  That is crazy. Then I will be home to go to Saint George with y'all and actually participate in these exciting stories that you send me each week. I am pretty excited, some days more than others but still. I will not let it become the senioritis that I had in high school but the feeling is still there.

My life is good.  Really boring and annoying but good none-the-less. The Zone is completely different because it has fewer people and way more space. So we are just trying to make it work.  I do have to say that it is WAY better like this. Fewer missionaries on top of each other pissing each other off.  I like it.  There are still some missionaries who don't work as hard as I know they can.  Nevertheless, I try to stand up for them.

Life is good, really good. This is the first Pday in a long time that I am not stressed or annoyed. So that's something. Love ya.

Letter from a Sister Missionary (She loves Zach)

Tomorrow is transfers, the last one we will be attending. We are losing one of our favorite Sisters and One of our favorite Elders [Zachary] which is very hard no matter how many times we watch it happen. It does not become easier. We spend a lot of time with these young people and we do get very attached and they are like our own children. We only want the best for them as they move to another area and we hope that they are put with wonderful companions and they enjoy their new area. We will miss them both and pray for their success. Love you both, Sister Keller

General Conference and What's Next

April 6

General Conference was so amazing...except for that one part.. The messages were so inspiring. I loved it all. One thing that I learned and thought was amazingly relevant in my life right now was the call to raise the bar for young single adults. Man it seems like they always raise the bar right before I get to that stage. Anyway some of my favorite talks talked about the Atonement. The Atonement is something that I have really grown to appreciate. I have learned an appreciation for my Savior that nothing will ever take away from me. I am so grateful for the chance I have to repent it is so amazing cause I make so many mistakes. SO MANY. But just like in the story that Elder Holland told we jump and he catches us all we have to do is be brave and take the only option left to us JUMP!

This week is good I went on two exchanges, one with Elder McMurry from Houma.  We had some good times walking around talking to people.  I really learned a lot from him. We talked to this one guy who was super interested but of course he lived in a different area so those missionaries get a referral. Golden Referral might I add. Then right after that we started an exchange with Morgan City so Elder Page and I got to work together and that was awesome. Life is so awesome.  The church is so true. I just hope I can use the Atonement everyday for the rest of my life. The desire of my heart is to follow the words of the Prophets and Apostles, Cause despite what others think THEY ARE CALLED OF GOD! How awesome is it that we have someone with the authority to say "Thus saith the LORD" best thing a dumb kid from Draper, Utah could ask for.

Love ya,
 
Elder Andrews
 
 
P.S.  What is something I learned in conference?  Well if I am going to be honest the Brethren did not help with the trunkiness.  All Saturday was get married, go home get married, go home get married... dang...I guess I've got to get married. Also I am so sick of people picking at all the things I do wrong. But I guess I just have to be better.

Weird Stuff


March 30, 2015

Spanish Zone!

March 23

So exciting news we are creating a Spanish Zone! I have been talking about it for about 6 months and then we talked about it with the APs the last couple of days and we are creating the Spanish Zone! I am so excited, Morgan City and The West bank are in my zone.  So are all my old areas I can go and visit. This transfer has just changed a ton so yeah, this is weird. But I am excited.

I really like my companion.  He is really cool. He is fun and actually he reminds me a lot of Elder Vaughn. anyway I really like him; he is nice. We are friends for sure. I don't know what do you want to know

Also I'm starting to worry about college.  Can you check my status and make sure I'm all ready for fall?

Transfers and Philosophy

March 17

The sisters are getting transferred.  I don't know where they are going.  They don't leave till tomorrow. They called me at 1230 last night about a cockroach in their apartment. They wanted us to drive across town to go and kill it. I was not happy and when I declined they were pretty upset.

I don't care where I get transferred or if I stayed. I will do what the lord wants but I am kind of am tired of the leadership minutia. But that is probably the lesson I have to learn so I guess I'll learn it.

I am going to learn my lessons through the constant stream of mistakes that I make. I feel the same way, always a different shade of the same problem. I am feeling it. I am trying to please everyone. I know some of the lessons I have to learn, and I have been taught them before, but I haven't learned them yet. That is how we are. Slow learners I have to be taught again and again until something clicks. I am waiting for the click in my life right now. But that is how it has always been for me especially in middle school. Just struggling through till it clicks. It's rough, really rough. But it is what turns coal into diamonds. There is a Mormon Message about that called Refiners Fire. Lots of missionaries get in the fire with a hard companion or area or whatever. They complain and ask to get moved and then President moves them and they miss out on what they could have been. But then there are some times that we are completely over our head and can do nothing but drown. That doesn't mean that the task isn't worth, it just means we need a different plan of attack. And as long as we keep all options open then the Lord tells us which one. Sorry I don't have any answers just mindless philosophy.

Love ya

Friday, April 10, 2015

FROM PH: 7 Minute Lessons

7 minute lessons
Sent Date:  Monday, April 13, 2015
Author:  President Hansen

Dear Elders and Sisters,
We have really enjoyed seeing most of you so (two more zone conferences this week) far in the last couple of weeks. I love what is happening in the mission with the shorter lessons. Remember, It is not about making the lessons shorter or about using the pamphlets to teach, it is really about having the investigators do the teaching. That is a trick that most of the missionaries have not quite mastered. Let's keep working on it in your companion study. In the lessons I have witnessed over the last two weeks, every time the missionary starts to explain the investigator checks out and you can see his or her interest level wain.

Never the less, this is the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I was with the Eunice missionaries on Saturday and watched a man who said he was not interested go to a commitment to be baptized in about 4 minutes. It was awesome.

Here are some letters you will enjoy:
------…and we just didn't have a good feeling. So we came out to this main road where a lot of people could see us. And so we cut back on another street and we had a great feeling of peace. And we were walking down and there was a guy sitting on his porch with his head down. So we headed over to him to contact him. And we started to talk to him about what we do and also started talking about the gospel. We started to teach the way that the mission department taught us to teach, and it was amazing. I have never had a more powerful lesson in my entire mission. He said that if he knew it was true for himself he would be baptized by someone holding this authority. We asked him to pray about what we had taught. And after his prayer he just kind of sat there and looked at us. He looked up and said, "You guys are the angels that I have been praying for, to help me out and guide my life."

------I absolutely loved what Brother Donaldson said about baptism and the temple. He said when we are baptized we covenant that "we are willing to take upon us the name of Christ or in other words, willing to make covenants with God. When we get a temple recommend, we are saying that we are doing those things that we had said we were willing to do at baptism". Never thought of it like that before. There is much, much more that I learned.

------We had a first lesson on Friday with a members referral. It was only about 15 minutes or so and she not only just prayed, but she accepted to be baptized! She had her prayer answered and she said she felt very peaceful. We have taught her once since then and did the Book of Mormon approach that we learned with helping her understand and learn the wording. She committed to read the whole thing in 2 weeks! She said that was the goal she wanted to make. I know this new teaching method is going to work. I am excited about it!

------Sarah got baptized last December. She use to say I don't believe in love, or I am lost at sea and I feel like I'm lost in darkness. Once the Light of Christ Brightened in her she realized God loved her and he rescued her from her never ending darkness. God and Jesus Christ are always there for us we just have to call out to them for help and look for the light in the distance. Sarah told me Sunday, I never knew God loved me this much, I feel him in my life, and I feel like since joining the Church, blessings have poured down from Heaven.

------We showed them all of the pictures and asked them what they (thought) and it really helped make it more of an awesome learning discussion than us just talking at them. In fact she said, "I feel like I am doing most of the talking here" the spirit could be felt really strong and she committed herself and her grandson to come to church and test it out. They also committed to pray and to read the Book of Mormon. It was an awesome experience. We also testified that President Monson was the modern day prophet of the whole world and she just couldn't believe that, and it was one of the most special moments on my mission when I got to look her in the eyes and say that I love and sustain him and know that he is God's prophet on the earth today. I love being a missionary!!

Monday, April 6, 2015

Amazing General Conference

Weekly Letter - 06 Apr 2015
Sent Date:  Monday, April 6, 2015
Author:  Andrews, Zachary Jacob

General Conference was so amazing.... except for that one part.. The messages were so inspiring. I loved it all. One thing that I learned and thought was amazingly relevant in my life right now was the call to raise the bar for young single adults. Man it seems like they always raise the bar right before i get to that stage. Anyway some of my favorite talks talked about the Atonement. The Atonement is something that i have really grown to appreciate. I have learn an appreciation for my Savior that nothing will ever take away from me. I am so grateful for the chance i have to repent it is so amazing cause i make so many mistakes. SO MANY. But just like in the story that Elder Holand told we jump and he catches us all we have to do is be brave and take the only option left to us JUMP!

This week is good I went on two exchanges, one with Elder Mcmurry from Houma we had some good times walking around talking to people I really learned a lot from him. The exchange was really effective cause he didn't feel like he could tell his Zone Leaders anything and I had the opportunity to say "No i am here for you to help you to support you." We talked to this one guy that was super interested but of course he lived in a different area so those missionaries got a referral. Golden Refferal might i add. Then right after that we started an exchange with Morgan City so Elder Page and i got to work together and that was awesome. Elder Page is an amazing missionary one of the best in the mission and his work with Elder Karn is amazing he has helped him so much. It is astonishing to me the good he has brought about in that Elders life.  Life is so awesome church is so true. I just hope i can use the Atonement everyday for the rest of my life. The desire of my heart is to follow the words of the Prophets and Apostles, Cause despite what others think THEY ARE CALLED OF GOD! How awesome is it that we have someone with the authority to say "Thus saith the LORD" best thing a dumb kid from Draper Utah could ask for.

Love ya,
Elder Andrews

PS I took care of the Clerks office issue. I talked to President Garcia about it and he just said missionaries are not allowed in the clerks office so there.  I will see who has the keys and ask them to return them to their bishop or Branch President.

Thank you so much for all that you do. Let me know how I can help you.

Sent Date:  Friday, April 10, 2015
Author:  President Hansen
Thanks.

Monday, March 30, 2015

FROM PH: Desks and Telephoning

Recent training from SLC
Sent Date:  Saturday, April 4, 2015
Author:  President Hansen

Dear Sisters and Elders,
Many of you were able to attend the training in Denham Springs. It was such a revelatory experience for me. I hope you all are still digesting your notes and changing your old habits to reflect the new direction that we are going.

Many of the instructions dealt with details like which way our desks were oriented, and others dealt with major things like, how do we teach the discussions. I would like to have all of you help spread this information to the rest of the mission. This is how we will do it: At the Zone Conferences that will be held over the next two weeks we will present this material and do some demonstrations for the other missionaries. Please, practice all these techniques: presenting the Book of Mormon to investigators, Teaching with the pamphlets "what do you see?", helping people to repent by asking "will you" questions, watching  the District as game film, how to use member present  experiences, how to plan and use Area Books, getting investigators to pray at the end of the Restoration Lesson, short lessons, etc.

If you will all try to make these principles habits that you can demonstrate we will have a successful roll out.

Thanks for all you are doing to build the Kingdom.
Love,
President Hansen

Telephoning
Sent Date:  Monday, March 30, 2015
 Author:  President Hansen
Dear Sisters and Elders,

I am always so grateful for the desires of the missionaries to obey every rule with exactness. You are a marvelous group of missionaries that I wouldn't trade for any other group in the world. I love you for your willingness to comply in every way.

I wanted to clarify the telephone policy in two minor ways:  1)  Sisters can report to the District leaders at any time. Please keep the calls professional and to the point, 2) Elders and sisters in the same area can call to coordinate visits,  etc., with the same limitations.

Thank you for following these principles, letter and spirit. I promise great blessings come with obedience to these and other minor principles. see Matt 5:19 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be   called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Saturday, March 21, 2015

FROM PH: Shameless Flirting (It's a bad thing)

Elder-Sister    Sister-Elder phone calls
Sent Date:  Saturday, March 21, 2015
Author:  President Hansen
Dear Elders and Sisters,

I am so proud of each of you. I know how hard it has been for you to have faith to find and to open your mouths to everyone. As I said in the transfer meeting the results of this effort have been breathtaking. We have tripled our baptisms and confirmations from just a couple of months back. Tripled our new investigators and quadrupled our contacts found since we started tracking those. That is spectacular. The thing I love most is reading the letters that proclaim the joy of tracting and finding.

I feel like we can still improve. If just a few more missionaries get on the finding crusade we could triple the number of baptisms again. That would make or mission very respectable in the Southeastern US Area. Three contacts a day per companionship and a half hour of tracting per day would work miracles.

One other thing I feel we need to change in the mission is the flirting that has become much more open and I hesitate to say, shameless. It is a real problem. As in all of these issues most missionaries are doing just fine, but there are so many cases that we need to deal with it for the whole mission. I feel like the missionaries who are here to serve the Lord should not be flirting with other missionaries. Let's stop this right now. We get the bills from Sprint every month and I see the number of calls from missionaries to other missionaries, frequently elders to sisters or vice versa. The bill also shows us the time of the calls and the length of the calls and I am frankly embarrassed for you. We are going to continue to monitor these calls and if the opposite gender calls don't stop, I will have to take other measures to curb the flirtations. (like no combined elder sister P-days????? or blocking calls, etc.) Elder to elder and sister to sister calls should be kept to a minimum as well, and should be only to deal with investigator and work issues, not for social calls and nothing after 10:30.

NO ELDER-SISTER CALLS. The only exceptions will be to ask for a blessing in times of need (to Zone Leaders only) and to report numbers( to District Leaders only). In both of these cases the calls will obviously need to be just a minute or two in duration. For other issues, sisters can call the Sister Training Leaders or the Assistants. Call me or Sister Hansen anytime day or night. I will never feel bad about you calling me.

Let's look for joy in our missions in doing the work of the Lord and not in things that detract from the work. I love you all. Please take this in the way it is meant, to move the work of God forward so that we love the experience of being the Lord's servants, so that we love being dedicated to the greatest cause ever.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Sorry to Wake You Up

Weekly Letter - 17 Mar 2015
Sent Date:  Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Author:  Andrews, Zachary Jacob President,

First of all sorry that we woke you up last night for that unimportant concern. They were absolutely losing their minds on the phone. But none the less it was a simple call and i didn't make it. I am excited for this new transfer and all the new lessons and struggles that it will bring. Everything is good and we will work as hard as we can to find more and to do better.

Love ya, thanks for all you do!
Elder Andrews

Sent Date:  Friday, March 20, 2015
Author:  President Hansen I am always happy to be called.
Let's keep our missionaries in their areas working as much as is possible. As leaders, lets try to keep them from finding ways to not be productive

Sunday, March 15, 2015

FROM PH: Finding Finding

Finding, finding and finding
Sent Date:  Sunday, March 15, 2015
Author:  President Hansen

Dear Elders and Sisters,
Since the mission has caught finding fever, I thought I would share some of the miracles that have been taking place. I think it was Elder Halstrom who said, "faith to find means; go and find." Thanks for all your faith and hard work this week. We are teaching lots more lessons to lots more investigators and having more baptisms and confirmations. "The field is white..."

From your letters:
------we had a referral that just wanted a bible, so we took it to her and we were able to teach her the restoration. When were about done teaching I said, "don't you think it is pretty important to know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet?" and she said, "well yes". So I dropped to my knees and said, "lets pray about it" and everyone got on their knees and we went around the circle and everyone offers up their own prayer to know the truthfulness of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and when we got to the lady who was the last one to pray got done praying, we just sat there and the spirit was so strong at that point, she lifted up her head and said, "I feel the spirit" and I explained to her that was Heavenly Father testifying to her that everything we taught them was true and she was super excited!

-------This week has been really great! We found 6 new investigators... We went and sat down by a lady with a small son and then soon, she said that we actually stopped by her house months ago and that she is interested. We are seeing her this week. Then we went to a Black History Celebration with one of our investigators moms. His mom called us up to speak last minute so we were able to bear our testimony and talk about our church in front of a group during this celebration. After the celebration a lot of people came up to us and were interested in learning more. I know God is preparing those for us to teach.

------We had 19 lessons this week which is a record for both of us and it just encouraged us to be even better this week. We know we can hit 20 or more and we have the desire to do so and to find more people. I'm so excited!

------We are teaching almost a whole apartment complex which started out as us conversing with people outside their apartment. Then, they would invite their neighbors over to listen. Its awesome!

------The miracle that topped it off for me this week was counting our numbers at the end of the week. I've never been so close to accomplishing such high goals on my mission. I've never had this many progressing investigators, never seen this many people at church, never had this many people with a baptismal date, and I've never taught this many lessons. We taught 16 lessons without teaching any members and that is the most lessons I've ever taught in this area. We have even more coming as well which is so amazing and I can't believe how blessed we have been.

Monday, March 9, 2015

This week...who cares my brother is going on HIS MISSION TO CHILE!!!!!

I just watched Nathan opening his call and I just cried like a little baby just then..... WOW that is amazing!!
 
Sorry I didn't mean to do that [not write for 3 weeks]. I am doing well.  We have spent a lot of time tracting and talking to people. It was so much fun.  The thing about tracting is that it sucks for the first 3 houses then it is super fun. We finally got in contact with a bunch of PI's; it was a super good week. We also had MLC and then ZTM after that and it was like my 7th ZTM. I really like my Zone they are the freaking best. But my life is good. I am learning so many things and guess what, when you are on the other side of the country my mom is still right about everything.  And I still think she is not until I'm proven wrong, every time.
 
I don't know what stories I have. I don't think I have any. But this week I interviewed two people for baptism. One of them we had to go to Baton Rouge to interview a Spanish guy up there. He passed with flying colors. That was awesome.  The spirit was super strong and told me that he was ready as he does on all the people that i have interviewed...except one.  But I interviewed him again this week  and he passed! It was super amazing to see the difference in the spirit. 

We have this less-active family that we have been working with the whole time I have been here and they are awesome.  They have been coming back to church. They love us and it is super fun. They have been doing all the right things. It just shows me the power of the spirit cause we have showed up testified with the spirit and then the spirit works on them until they do the right thing. 
 
I am comps with Elder Walker. Hale is in the district. I really like this President, he does a good job. Sometimes I don't get everything he does but I really like him and how he runs things.  He really does stuff well.  
 
We also did and instruction on Focus last Friday. I dipped into the knowledge of art that you gave me and had them look at a picture of Jesus, like the one on PMG, and then squint their eyes and ask them what they saw. They all said it was Jesus. It was cool.

Love y'all
Elder Andrews

All Better, Thanks!

Weekly Letter - 09 Mar 2015
Sent Date:  Monday, March 9, 2015
Author:  Andrews, Zachary Jacob President,

I just want to start out by saying thanks for all that you did for me this week. I was really kinda having a hard time on Monday, when I sent that email. Then your call helped me to get over it and try my very best to do my duty as a missionary.

But this week I interviewed two people for Baptism. One of them we had to go to Baton Rouge to interview a Spanish guy, Elder Drollingers investigators, up there. He passed with flying colors. That was awesome the spirit was super strong and told me that he was ready as he does on all the people that i have interviewed... except one but I interviewed him again this week  and he passed! It was super amazing to see the difference in the spirit.

We have this Less active family that we have been working with this whole time I have been here and they are awesome, they have been coming back to church. They love us it is super fun. They have been doing all the right things. It just shows me the power of the Spirit cause we have showed up testified with the spirit and then the spirit works on them until they do the right thing. Elder Walker really likes them, he kinda taught them when he was here getting trained and for a while after that
The Zone is doing good a few minor problems but just enough to keep life interesting. Me and my companion are doing really well we work really well together. He is a good guy. He is kinda sick of the Drama in our ward, I mean he has been here for 7 transfers. Crazy. The Zone is awesome i love it!

Did you find out about the the whole Confirmation thing?

Thanks President!
Love,
Elder Andrews

Thursday, March 5, 2015

FROM PH: Sisters Butterfield and Hansen

Sister Butterfield and Sister Hansen's notes from the MLC
Sent Date:  Thursday, March 5, 2015
Author:  President Hansen
General Ideas
• Start with "We are representatives of Jesus Christ" instead of "We are missionaries" or say God has sent us here....
• “We have a unique message for the world”
• Talk to them about their families and then ask "Do you want to be with your families forever?"
• Instead of asking the investigator when would work for them, suggest a time such as "Can we come over maybe tomorrow or the next day?" Is it better Tuesday or Wednesday? to try and avoid people wanting to schedule appointments a week or more after original contact and therefore forgetting their great experience.
• When asking them to invite other people to your appointment say “The reason we want you to invite other people is because we know this message will bless everyone’s life. This reminds them that our message will bless their lives and also gives them motivation to invite people.
• After your companion teaches or testifies, you testify that you felt the Spirit while they were speaking. Ask the person what they felt while your companion was speaking (especially after quoting first vision or other scriptures). The Holy Ghost only testifies of truth.
• Say "I know" instead of I testify or I witness, which may sound foreign to people here.
• When you read a scripture with someone it brings the Spirit like nothing else.
• Hand them a pass-along card and ask them to look at the picture and ask them questions about it. Ex. “What does it look like Jesus Christ is doing? He is inviting all of us to come unto Him and one way He does that is by giving us prophets again.
• Let me tell you a story: There was a boy named Joseph Smith…”

Family History 
• Ask them where their family originates from.
• Ask "Did you know you can be with your families/ancestors forever?"
• Share a family history story about someone who gave up something to join the church "I am who I am because of my ancestors."
• Show people that they can find positive things in their family through family history.
• Always connect it to the reason we do family history so you can teach a principle.Tell them about the Spirit of Elijah( It gives all people the need and desire to connect with their ancestors) Mal 4:5 and 6  Ask:  Do you have a family member who was an anchor, who helped pave the way for those who came after?  Use family history to connect to Plan of Salvation/Restoration Someone who wonders does God really care?
• Share a personal experience and testify.
• Explain why God gives us trials.
• If they say they don’t feel like God has answered their prayers in the past or they feel like they don’t see God in their life, testify that you have been sent from God to show that He loves them and wants to bless them.
• Even if aren't close to God, He wants to be close to them!

Joseph Smith /Prophets  
• “What do you think it would be like to always know the will of God?” Teach how they had that in the bible. They had prophets that taught the will of God and we have a prophet again today.   • Ask/talk about prophets in the bible and how they were called. Just like Moses was called in a miraculous way (God speaking to him through a burning bush), Joseph Smith had a similar miraculous experience in these days. He lived in 1820 and he was wondering...Ask:  With all the world's problems, what would you like a prophet of God to tell you now?  Have you had the experience of being confused about which church to go to?  A boy named Joseph also had this experience.  Why would God have prophets in biblical times and not today?

Plan of Salvation
• “What do you think happens to us after we die?”
• “What about those who never had a chance to learn about Jesus Christ in this life? Doesn't God love them too? Can they make it to heaven?” 1 Peter 3:18 AND 19   1 PETER 4:6 Elder Jean-Louis’ prayer tracting
• “Hello I’m Elder/Sister so-and-so and this is my companion, Elder/Sister so-and-so. We’ve been sent here by God to leave a blessing with you in the form of a prayer. Can we pray with you?”
 • “Who among your family or friends needs our prayers right now?”
• Before you say the prayer invite them to pay attention to how they feel during the prayer.
• After the prayer ask how they feel. Ask “How would you like to feel that way all the time? We help people find and keep these feelings of peace and happiness. Can we share a message with you and your family about how you can find and have these feelings with you always?”

Word of Wisdom 
• “Have you smoked for a long time? Have you ever thought about/tried to quit?”
• Testify that Jesus Christ can help break the bonds of their addiction.
• If they say they’ve prayed for help to quit, but it’s never worked before, testify that you were sent as an answer to their prayers.
• Offer stop-smoking program, but first testify that it’s through Jesus Christ we can be freed. This brings the Spirit and makes them feel more empowered and like this attempt to quit might actually work.
• Invite them to bring other friends or family members who want to quit.      

Jesus Christ/ Atonement 
When someone notices your name tag, tell them how you feel about Jesus or ask them how they feel about Jesus.   How has He changed your life or Do you fully understand how He can change your life? What if there was a way that you could get rid of guilt or sorrow for things you have done? Is there anyone who you need to forgive to help you move on with your life? The Atonement makes this possible. Tell a personal experience about how the Atonement has helped you.

Book of Mormon 
Show them an object that opens. Interesting Box, locket  etc.  Ask:  "What is it? What is inside?  How would you find out what is inside?  Show them The Book of Mormon  Ask:  What is it?  What is inside?  How would you find out what is inside?   Possibly read 3rd Nephi 11:9-15 with them or another scripture that lets them know we believe in Christ.

Monday, March 2, 2015

Awful!

Weekly Letter - 02 Mar 2015
Sent Date:  Monday, March 2, 2015
Author:  Andrews, Zachary Jacob President,

This week has been so hard. That is the thesis that I have, but despite the seemingly gloomy title I have learned lots of things and good things have happened.

I just wrote a big old letter, with this as my heading, describing the drama and the things that have gone on this week, but i realize that might not be the most constructive thing. President, I have no idea what i am doing. I wish that I did so that I could fix it but I don't know. I feel like this, in some way is my fault. This whole "situation". This is probably one of the last things that you want this email to say but sorry I'm an Andrews and we always tell the truth. And that is really where my frustration is, the lying that has been going on. I won't name names unless you ask me too, all week I have been thinking about one thing that Elder Kapishka said, and i will paraphrase, there has to be Honest in the mission for it to go forward. And it is true if someone is lying about their relationship with their companion or telling half truths to get something that they want, what good can we do. What can I do?

President I feel awful about this. AWFUL.

Despite all this everyone else is doing good, Elder Hilam really overcame his fear this week one will the contacting and working really hard then two with participating in Zone Pday, i am so happy for him. Elder Makin is a contacting monster. Really good at it. Everyone is still working out the kinks but for the most part people are doing really well. Elder Morrel and I went on an exchange this week and I was humbled by how awesome of a missionary he is. One thing that he does that i really liked is when we where going to a set appointment he would park down the street a ways so we would have to walk there and from that we got a lot of contacts. I really like that and Elder Walker and I have started doing that.

President I don't know a lot of things matter of fact i hardly know anything, but i do know that the church is true. I do know that Jesus is my Savior. AND THAT GIVES ME HOPE

Elder Andrew

Monday, February 23, 2015

Excited!

Weekly Letter - 23 Feb 2015
Sent Date:  Monday, February 23, 2015
Author:  Andrews, Zachary Jacob President,

Hi, so this week was super awesome. Elder Kapischke's instruction was amazing absolutely amazing. The best thing is that the missionaries are going to apply it! I know that they are going to apply it and it will change this entire mission. Elder Walker and I are really trying hard to instill his teachings into the missionaries. I am really excited to see everyone do this things. Everyone in the zone in district meetings is going to do practices in order to practice the contacting.

Love ya,
Elder Andrews

Sent Date:  Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Author:  President Hansen
Let's just keep doing these practice sessions until it is second nature to all the missionaries

Sunday, February 22, 2015

FROM PH: Elder Kopischke's Visit

Notes from Elder Kopischke's visit
Sent Date:  Sunday, February 22, 2015
Author:  President Hansen

The Nine Things that the Berlin mission did to drastically increase the # of baptisms
1. Teach to Find
2. Always have Investigators pray in the first discussion
3. Always have a member present at the 2nd lesson through the 5th lesson
4. Baptismal Calendar—Let the Creation be a part of the Creation
5. ALWAYS ASK FOR REFERRALS/Invite everyone in the house to the lesson
6. Memorize a scripture for every principle in each Preach My Gospel Lesson
7. Book of Evidence Journal where we write down all of our spiritual experiences
8. One progress report per ward or branch (no matter how many missionaries) during ward council visits
9. Teach complete families when possible

TEACH TO FIND (Alma 10, 11, 12)—“Finding Must be the Most Fun of Your Missionary Work, You will have magnificent experiences when you find”—Elder Kopischke M1: Teach a Principle Ask a Q Testify M2: Testify Teach a Principle Ask a Q Testify Invite M1: Preach My Gospel 159: “Avoid the tendency to say things such as, do you have a few minutes that we could teach you a message about… rather develop the habit of immediately beginning to teach and testify as you meet people.”

Approaches: When they look at your name tag: Jesus Christ is the most important person in my life. How do you feel about Jesus Christ? I can see you don’t want to talk to me: I have the strongest feeling I need to talk to you. Where do you see your children in 10 years? If anyone asks what the difference is between your church and my church: Can I tell you a story? There was a man named Joseph… He wanted to know which church was true and one day he read James 1:5 and decided to do as James directs and ask God himself which church was true. If you would have read this what would you have done? Tell Joseph Smith story I have a message for YOU (Make it personal NOT general, ex. I teach people about Jesus Christ) Insights: We must be salvation oriented, NOT number oriented Fear Holds Us Back, We only improve when we EMBARRASS OURSELVES DAILY!!!

Perfect Love Casts out Fear, Daily Interactions Baptismal Invitations to services are the best finding tools! We must be a people who asks Questions so we can get answers. Go to every meeting with a question! A meeting is only valuable if we have a revelatory experience. Miracles happen when mind and heart are ready to receive (share this with your investigators and less actives) Ask Question the question, “If I would have invited myself in the way I had invited them would I have said yes?” People come because of what they feel, they continue to come because of what they continue to feel.

Elder Holland The Celestial Law of Obedience asks for referrals everyday with every contact, investigator and member; they follow up with their investigator every single day! Taking the sacrament is our time to feel acceptance, to feel God’s love At Members houses ask, “Can we have an investigator come over to your home?” or “Can you pray to help us find someone to teach in your home?” Call them every day to follow up! While eating “Can I share a spiritual experience I had today?” instead of waiting for the end to just share a scripture. When you teach your faith and testimony improve as nervousness goes other aspects of the principle comes to your heart. Ask investigators to reteach the principle to you! Assignments: 1. “Teach Your Missionaries to Talk to 10 People Every day independent of Tracting”—Elder Ballard 2. Ask Referrals From Everyone, Always ask who else can benefit from our message; Role play “How to’s” for asking referrals for comp study 3. 30 Minutes of Tracting Everyday

Elder Kopischke said about the Conference: “I have hardly experienced this much power in my 8 years as a general authority.” SOUTH AMERICA HERE WE COME!!!!!

If you have any Jewels we didn’t write down please send them to us and we will revise them!!!

Monday, February 16, 2015

Mardi Gras


Really Good

Weekly Letter - 16 Feb 2015
Sent Date:  Monday, February 16, 2015
Author:  Andrews, Zachary Jacob President!

This week was really good. Really crazy with ZTM and Mardi Gras and all the other stuff. Our Zone is doing really well Mandeville District taught lots of lessons, they worked really hard and did lots of good. Elder Trainor spearheaded the push and lead his District admirable with a whopping 33 lessons. ZTM was good. The spirit was there and i hope that it was felt by all.

Elder Andrews

Sent Date:  Monday, February 16, 2015
Author:  President Hansen
:)

Be the Other Option

This week we have gotten lots of referrals and I mean lots. It is super awesome to have the members do the finding for us, cause we can knock doors all day and often we do. But I am super excited to see how the referrals we got turn out . Our Ward Mission Leader has been asking us to ask for more and more referrals so we have and are seeing blessing from it.

This week I was reading in 2 Nephi 2 and I was struck by verse 16:
 
 16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.
 
I really like this scripture cause it talks about lots of different things, One, it talks about how we have the ability to choose. But not to choose anything. We are to choose the options that are in front of us. That is super cool because WE need to be the people to entice the people to do the right thing so that they can choose. It is my job to put that other option in front of people so they can choose! And it is each and everyone one of our responsibilities to do that and we can't fail as long as we invite!

Love ya,
 
Elder Andrews


 

Monday, February 9, 2015

Act for Himself

Weekly Letter - 09 Feb 2015
Sent Date:  Monday, February 9, 2015
 Author:  Andrews, Zachary Jacob

This week we have gotten lots of Referrals and I mean lots. It is super awesome to have the members do the finding for us, cause we can knock doors all day and often we do. But of the referrals that we got this week I am super excited for how they turn out. Our Ward Mission Leader has been asking us to ask for referrals more and more so we have been and are seeing blessing from it.

This week I was reading in 2 Nephi 2 and I was struck by verse 16: 16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.

I really like this scripture cause it talks about lots of different things, One it talks about how we have the ability to choose. But not to choose anything we are to choose the options that are in front of us. That is super cool because WE need to be the people to entice the people to do the right thing so that they can choose. It is my job to put that other option in front of people so they can choose! And it is each and everyone one of our responsibilities to do that and we can't fail as long as we invite!
Love ya
Elder Andrews

Sent Date:  Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Author:  President Hansen
I think that when we receive referrals that is a sign that members and the Lord trust us.

FROM PH: Leaders, No Hugging

LEADERS-Let's change the mission culture.
Sent Date:  Monday, February 9, 2015
Author:  President Hansen

Dear Leaders in the Lord's army,

I feel like we have some amazing leaders in the mission. I want to thank each one of you. I have been so impressed that the district leaders are setting goals for finding teaching and baptizing. In every area where the goals are being set they are also being achieved. Congratulations for all that is happening. We have seen many districts with district goals of 15 to 20 lessons per companionship.

That is awesome!

Some of the senior missionaries told me after the transfer meeting that they saw missionaries hugging each other(elders and sisters). I certainly didn't see that but if I did, I would be very disappointed in those missionaries. Let's follow the guidelines of the white handbook. Handshakes are appropriate between genders while we are missionaries. Always stay by your companion so you can see and hear everything that happens and encourage the companions to be obedient. Let's make sure our Zones and Districts are safe and appropriate. Make sure the elders and sisters don't lean on each other or flirt with each other. It is wrong! It is embarrassing for other missionaries. It makes them less effective as  missionaries. It makes members doubt our commitment. Lets focus on serving the Lord not ourselves. Let's not plan district or zone activities for finding in each others areas or social activities or any other activities that is not in the basic schedule. See that after district meeting we go back to work not hang out and take another unofficial p-day. You are responsible for these missionaries. Teach them to be focused and purpose driven. Lets make our district meetings training days, not play days.

As leaders we are accountable to the Lord for those in our charge. We have been called to this calling because of the Lord's confidence in us. Lets help our missionaries to be better more committed missionaries.
I love you all and know that this message can only come from you with the power it needs.

Deepest Respect and Love,
President Hansen

Saturday, February 7, 2015

LEGEN...wait for it...DARY

February 3, 2014

This week is absolutely crazy. Two baptismal interviews, Elder Cook and Elder Halstrom came to instruct our mission it was super cool. I shook their hands...LEGEN...wait for it... The instructions that they gave us was so sick. He said a couple of awesome things but the coolest thing was at the end he said was "I know the voice of the Lord" Freaking dope! I really enjoyed it. Also we had a baptism in our ward we should of had two but one of the people was not taught all the way so I had to postpone his date. Every day this week was crazy and to add on top of that we lost power to our apartment on Thursday and just got it back yesterday. This week was fun really fun and absolutely crazy...DARY!

Elder Cook talked about how he doesn't feel adequate to be an apostle and that about every month Elder Packer walks into their meeting in the temple saying "I am still trying to figure out why I am here" That was such a huge answer to prayers cause I have to do things all the time that I know I am not adequate to do what I am called to do. There is a lot of pressure and lots of doubts about my own abilities but to hear that the Apostles have the same feelings. WOW that helped me so much.
 
Elder Cook said something that I like, that us as missionaries are Ward and Branch Builders. It is true and I think that this applies to all members of our Church; we are all in the wards and branches so that we can help them grow so that we can help the people in them come back to church and repent and change. We all have home teaching and visiting teaching assignment so that we can help our wards grow and help people feel of the joy that is in this Gospel.

I love this Church I love the Savior I know he lives and I know that he talks to the Apostles.
LOVE YA
 
Elder Andrews

PS I am good.  Not getting transferred which I am super excited for but I am super scared about who is going to come into our zone cause we just smoothed out all our problems and now we have to start all over. And they are taking one of our awesome Sister Training Leaders so that is going to make things harder.

Cousin Andrews

January 26, 2012

So this week I went to Laplace on exchanges, and I met Brother Andrews. Who is my dad's cousin. It was super fun to be around him; he pointed out our cleft chin. That was really fun and so was being in Laplace. There are some really cool missionaries there.
 
In our ward, in the next little bit, we will have 4 baptisms I am super excited for all those missionaries. My companion and I have been working hard mostly finding, trying to grow our area. Lots of knocking doors and looking through the area book. Life is good even though lots of people in the Zone are sick.  We are working through that. 
 
I didn't take any pictures of Brother Andrews.  I am feeling lots better still have a runny nose but that is cool.   Man! Jordyn Ardnt is coming home this week?!  That is crazy.  I have just started my D&C challenge which is I have 138 days left and so I am now reading a chapter of D&C everyday and will be finished by the time I will go home. I am on day two. I have any new stories but Elder Cook is coming on Saturday to talk to the mission. 
 
Other than that nothing but sunshine and rainbows!
Elder Andrews

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Elder Cooks and Halstrom

Sent Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Author: Andrews, Zachary Jacob

President,
This week is absolutely crazy. Two baptismal interviews, Elder Cook and Elder Halstrom came to instruct our mission it was super cool. I shook their hands.... legend.....wait for it......The instructions that they gave us was so sick. He said a couple of awesome things but the coolest thing was at the end he said was "I know the voice of the Lord" freaking dope! I really enjoyed it. Also we had a baptism in our ward we should of had two but one of the people was not taught all the way so I had to postpone his date.  Everyday this week was crazy and to add on top of that we lost power to our apartment on Thursday and just got it back yesterday. This week was fun really fun and absolutely crazy.....Dary

Elder Cook talked about how he doesn't feel adequate to be an apostle and that about every month Elder Packer walks into their meeting in the temple saying "I am still trying to figure out why i am here" That was such a huge answer to prayers cause I have to do things all the time that i know i am not adequate to do what i am called to do. There is a lot of pressure and lots of doubts about my own abilities but to hear that the Apostles have the same feelings. WOW that helped me so much.

President i am excited for this new transfer and for the new lessons and opportunities that will come. I am really excited to see what happens and who will be here i am super exited. Let me know if there is anything i can do for you?

Love ya
Elder Andrews


LEADERS-Let's change the mission culture
Dear Leaders in the Lord's army,
I feel like we have some amazing leaders in the mission. I want to thank each one of you. I have been so impressed that the district leaders are setting goals for finding teaching and baptizing. In every area where the goals are being set they are also being achieved. Congratulations for all that is happening. We have seen many districts with district goals of 15 to 20 lessons per companionship. That is awesome!

Some of the senior missionaries told me after the transfer meeting that they saw missionaries hugging each other(elders and sisters). I certainly didn't see that but if I did, I would be very disappointed in those missionaries. Let's follow the guidelines of the white handbook. Handshakes are appropriate between genders while we are missionaries. Always stay by your companion so you can see and hear everything that happens and encourage the companions to be obedient. Let's make sure our Zones and Districts are safe and appropriate. Make sure the elders and sisters don't lean on each other or flirt with each other. It is wrong! It is embarrassing for other missionaries. It makes them less effective as missionaries. It makes members doubt our commitment. Lets focus on serving the Lord not ourselves.

Let's not plan district or zone activities for finding in each others areas or social activities or any other activities that is not in the basic schedule. See that after district meeting we go back to work not hang out and take another unofficial p-day. You are responsible for these missionaries. Teach them to be focused and purpose driven. Lets make our district meetings training days, not play days. As leaders we are accountable to the Lord for those in our charge. We have been called to this calling because of the Lord's confidence in us. Lets help our missionaries to be better more committed missionaries.

I love you all and know that this message can only come from you with the power it needs.
Deepest Respect and Love,
President Hansen

Sunday, February 1, 2015

FROM PH: Elder Cook

Elder Cook and Elder Halstrom
Sent Date: Sunday, February 1, 2015
Author: President Hansen

Dear Sisters and Elders,
It was such a pleasure to sit at the feet of God's chosen servants this week. Elders Cook and Hallstrom had some great insights that will help us to serve the Lord with more commitment and power. What did you learn from them that will make you more effective? Did you remember to do the study assignment that Elder Cook gave us?Let me know in your letter.

Here are some excerpts from letters that will inspire you:
------We set a goal as a district to get 80 lessons in one week this transfer and we accomplished it! My purpose for doing that was to get us to stretch and find more people to teach. And now the goal is find more people and use the members to help them. Basically get those 80 lessons into member present. That's our goal. I'm exited for the zone conference.

------One thing that we do is every nightly planning, we set our key indicators before we set specifically who we are going to see so we can plan accordingly. It completely changed our work! For example, we finally got one of our investigators to commit to a baptismal date. We got members to two of our lessons. We found four new investigators and two new referrals and got twenty one lessons. These are the highest numbers of my mission! We just set goals and we do everything in our power to make them happen, respecting others agency. It's amazing!

------I was In PEC talking about ______ to the Bishopric..... We told them that he had a Baptism date on the 24 and then all of the sudden Bishop asked me, "how are you going to get him to church?".... and I had no clue... I thought long and hard about it when all of the sudden an idea came to my mind..... Just ask him for a ride....

------We had a lesson with a new investigator this week, we didn't know which member to bring with us. So that night i prayed. the only answer i got was "Nicole." i was like...."Nicole who?" And the only person i know named Nicole is a member of the primary presidency. So we asked her and she came with us. turns out that her and our investigator have known each other for a long time!! It was so awesome! Amber, the investigator, said that the priesthood finally made sense to her and she's gonna pray about when to be baptized!! It was amazing.

------Something that I did while companions with (old companion) is whenever we would transition to the other person teaching we would share a brief testimony which the other companion could then affirm. I hadn't though about doing that with (new companion) for a while, but during a lesson that we were teaching Sunday night we started doing it without even planning to and the spirit exploded. It became one of the most spiritual lessons I've had on my mission.

This is happening all over the mission.
------We got a referral, and we talked to him, his name is Neil Gibbs and he said that he has seen missionaries two years ago, but just for the past three months what they said began to sink into his soul and he wants to join the church! He is brilliant and loves to learn. He was pretty much agnostic but (now)accepts what we say and loves the feeling of ... the spirit.

Monday, January 26, 2015

Laplace

Sent Date: Monday, January 26, 2015
Author: Andrews, Zachary Jacob

So this week I went to Laplace on exchanges, and I met Brother Andrews. Who is my Dads cousin, It was super fun to be around him he pointed out our cleft chin. That was really fun and so was being in Laplace, there are some really cool missionaries there. In our ward in the next little bit we will have 4 baptisms I am super excited for all those missionaries. My companion and I have been working hard mostly finding trying to grow our area. Lots of knocking doors and looking through the area book.

Life is good even though lots of people in the Zone that are sick so we are working through that other than that nothing but sunshine and rainbows The Laplace district is doing so much better. We went to their District and instructed, the spirit was super strong. Elder McCutchean said that it isn't normally like that but I felt the spirit super strong. They are all doing really well, Elder Carson is an amazing missionary. I was really impressed my him, he is ready to, as it were strike out on his own. As all new missionaries want to do even if they love their companion, they just want to try it out on their own. The other missionaries in the apartment are good missionaries as well. I think they are not feeling like good missionaries, this is having a positive affect on them because they are pushing themselves harder and harder, and getting more and more stuff done. I was really impressed by the missionaries there.

Thanks so much let me know if there is anything I can do for you. Love ya President!
Elder Andrews

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

MLK Jr Day and Visit from 70s

Sorry this week was super crazy and it lingered on into yesterday so we decided to move p-day so here I am.  Anyway I had so many close encounters with the Seventies it was crazy. But I choose a cabin somewhere [for the family vacation].  That is defiantly what I want to do just hang out and watch movies an play. Cabin.  I really don't want to go to California.  Please not that. And I was thinking when is the Andrews campout? I am pretty excited for that too.

Can you find Elder Andrews?  Look close.
This week I met Elder Teh of the first quorum of the Seventy and Elder Parker our regional seventy and I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Elder Teh and I talked to Elder Parker for a while as well. I got to spend a lot of time with them. Here are the top three things I learned from them:
1. Don't waste time
2. An example is the best teacher
3. Just be obedient.  You don't have to find out if it is a good cause.  Just do it.
 
Anyway it was super fun except that I have had a cold this whole time, for a week and a half. It is super annoying because we have been so busy   I just haven't had the time to take a break and get better. I have been trying to drink lots and take vitamins, but I think today I will kill it with some serious sleep. [He didn't, he went to a bouncy house instead. Didn't have time to sleep;  the day just got away from me. ]
 
We also had some programs for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We sung in a baptismal program. Then marched in a parade; it was super fun.  we where pretty much the only white people there. It was super fun, everyone loved us.
 
Here are the pictures I've sent you: down town,  Elder Teh's visit, Elder Teh and the rest of my zone, a Martin Luther King Jr program that all our missionaries went to, then a parade that we marched in for MLK the guy with the beany is a rapper named D1 and then after his is the Mayor of NOLA then there is the actual parade and a picture of the mall.
 
Con amor,
Elder Andrews