Cougar is a town in Washington, I swear I'm not an old lady hitting on younger guys.

Date: 06-26-2017
Companion: Sister Bevan
Area: Longview Washington Stake, Woodland 1st Ward

GOOOOOOOOOD MORNING WOOOODLAND!!!!!!!!!!! this week has been a pretty great week! Last week most of our investigators were running from us and we weren't able to schedule any appointments with anyone, but this week that all turned around! We had an awesome lesson with a woman named Tina who basically told us that she had an awesome experience where God told her she needed to be meeting with us and listening to what we were saying. It was really neat! When we asked to set up a return appointment she said "well I'm going to be busy this next week so it'll have to be the week after, wait no. Come over this Friday. I don't want to risk not meeting with you every week." IT WAS SUCH A MIRACLE.

we've also been working with a family where the wife is a member but the husband is not. And I love them with all of my heart. It was really cool because the other day we found out that his moms middle name was my name it and it pretty cool. God doesn't do random. We've been working with them a lot. We helped them repair their front deck on Saturday (It was about 8 million degrees and I think my body was crying everywhere, but they apparently call that sweat?) And we have an appointment with him this week. I'm so dang excited about it.

During church yesterday, our bishop got up and spoke about our dwindling church numbers. (our ward is really small) and he talked about the importance of why we go, and it made me think about basically everything we do in life with the gospel. We can do it because it's something everyone around us is doing so we feel obligated to do it. We can do it because we know that the Lord wants us to do it so, again, we feel obligated to do it. Or we can do it because we ourselves want to grow. We want to help others that might be there. We want to show God we are grateful for Him sending His Son to die for us and make it possible for us to return. Think about it, Jesus Christ when through so much for us and asks for so little in return. That we take one day out of out week to renew our own covenants that we made (by our own free will) so that we could become clean and pure again.

I've also been thinking a lot about agency this week. I get really frustrated with myself sometimes because I'm not finding more people to teach. Or I'm not baptizing 800 people a week (it's a realistic goal, I swear). But I read a talk by Elder Oaks called "Timing" and he talks about putting all of your trust in The Lord's timing, and then not getting discouraged by someone else's agency and what it might do to your plans. So if we have set the goal that we are going to trust in the Lord's timing and do all that He asks, then that only involves our agency and the Lord so all is bound to be well!! That is something I need to work on because I constantly get mad or discouraged at other using their free agency (a gift and also a curse. (; Dang it).

This email was kind of just me ranting, but what I'm trying to get at is a couple of things.

1. Look for miracles. It'll get you through the toughest of times just to see the Lord's hand in your life.

2. Find your reason for going to church, or living the gospel and decide if it's a worthwhile reason. If not. Change it.

3. Don't get frustrated with the agency of others, and trust wholeheartedly in the Lord's timing. Believe me. It's like He knows all or something.(;

I have the strongest testimony in my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that sometimes i may not understand His plan for me but I know that He knows best so i want to follow Him. I know that He suffered for me and was pained for the sins I would commit, but it was because He loves me so much. And because of this that He went through, I can return to live with my Father in Heaven again. I'm so grateful for this knowledge that I have. I love you all so much!

Oh and 4. ☀️FIND JOY☀️

-Sister Emma Hansen

1-3 COUGAR PICTURES. my area is so beautiful

4. All of the kittens 

The refinerses fires fire refiners refine

Date: 06-19-2017
Companion: Sister Bevan
Area: Longview Washington Stake, Woodland 1st Ward

Hello everyone!!! It's been a pretty good day this week! I had the best night this morning and I can't think of anything else that doesn't make sense to put here. Sorry. I tried.
Transfers were this week, so sister Phillips went to portland and sister Bevan came here! It's been pretty fun! 

A couple of miracles this week! Remember Jared that we found on the side of the road that one time! Well we lost him for a while and that was kind of disappointing. So we did a faith drop. And that's where you pray before you go to their house and you say "Heavenly Father, if it's time to move on from them let us know, but if we need to teach them, let them answer the door." Well we did this and BAM!!! We were finally able to talk to his friend again! It was literally the coolest thing of my life! This is the 4th miracle with the Jareds and I honestly can't wait for one of them to be baptized. I have such a good feeling about it! 

Another miracle, we are teaching a girl named Kori and she texted us the other day and told us she picked a date she was working towards for baptism! It was literally the coolest thing of my Life! She picked august 5th! So we're working for that! 

Okay. Here's the thing ive been obsessing over this week. The refiners fire. Mosiah 23:10 and Alma 26:27. I've been thinking about trials so much. And why we go through them. What's the point of them. Life is so hard sometimes. But then I look back at where I was 5 months ago and I know that I am not the same person anymore. I am a completely new creature and its because of all that I've gone through. I've grown so much because I've been heated and pounded and every time something has happened, I've turned to my Father in Heaven. He doesn't give us these trials to see if we can jump through all these hoops alone. He gives us these trials to show us that He is here, and reminds us to lean on Him, all the while He's helping us become stronger and become better human beings. Even though the trials suck while we're going through them, because of this knowledge every time I'm in the midst of a trial, I can think "my Heavenly Father is helping me grow and become better. What is He wanting me to learn from this trial?" And that makes the trial completely worth it. And all of the trials I go through shows me how much He loves me. I'm so grateful that He wants me to grow and become better and will be there to help me when I do grow. I know the Savior lives. I know He's there and He suffered in Gethsemane for me so that I could grow and He could help me become better. I'm so grateful for this knowledge. Thank you all for your continued support. Remember to

☉FIND JOY☉

- Sister Emma Hansen

1. Me and Sister Bevan
2 and 3. Pictures from Cougar (note from Mam - Cougar is an unincorporated town in Cowlitz County.  It's located about 25 miles north east of Woodland - yep it's in Sister Hansen's current area)
4. Sister Bevan and I 

Tim went under

Date: 06-12-2017
Companion: Sister Phillips
Area: Longview Washington Stake, Woodland 1st Ward

WHAT A GREAT DAY TO BE ALIVE 

I feel like every week I stray my emails off the same way so I've decided to try to do something different but it all goes downhill from here. Sorry to disappoint.(; 

Tim was baptized saturday! It was really amazing and I love the spirit you can feel at baptisms. It was really amazing to see him change so much from the first time I taught him until he was confirmed yesterday and church. His spirit is amazing and his testimony is strong. I'm grateful for him and for all that he has taught me. 

Tuesday we had our zone conference and elder Lawrence of the seventy talked to us about out goal of 50 baptisms a month for the mission. That's almost double what we usually get. We're working really hard on trying to accomplish that. Sister Lawrence, his wife, talked about the gathering of the tribes of Isreal and it was really cool and neat to hear her talk. 

This week we were able to make it up to the top part of my area and it was really pretty up there. We were able to talk to a man who had been baptized about 5 years ago. He told us a little bit about his story and the spirit was really strong that we needed to be there and I was really excited to talk with him. It was really weird but I know that the Lord needed me there for some reason. Nothing really big or anything happened but it was really cool. 

That's all I really got for this week! I love you all!

☉Find Joy☉

-Sister Emma Hansen

1. Tell me I'm artsy
2. Tims baptism
3. When transfers are coming up
4. Representation of our companionship

Go Home Satan!

Date: 06-05-2017
Companion: Sister Phillips
Area: Longview Washington Stake, Woodland 1st Ward

HELLO HELLO HELLO!!!

THIS WEEK IS A GLORIOUS WEEK BECAUSE TIM IS GETTING BAPTIZED THIS WEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not much has happened this week except with Tim. He had his interview to be baptized on saturday. And lots went wrong and the interview was put on hold for 2 hours, and I think it shows how hard Satan works to make sure the righteous thing doesn't happen. But GOD ALWAYS PROVIDES! The interview happened and all was well! I'm so excited for Tim! He is amazing and I know he is making a righteous decision and that Satan works really hard on those who are righteous. My challenge to you: don't let him win.

-Sister Emma Hansen

☉FIND JOY☉

(Mam's note:  there were no pictures this week.  I have explained to Emma that this is unacceptable and must mean she has been kidnapp-ed and is being held against her will.  Soon I expect to receive a call from some strange person who says "I have your daughter, come get her she's being mean at me."  I will then demand to see a picture because I won't believe them.  See, this all leads to so much - future missionaries, moms have to have pictures each week to prove you are not kidnapp-ed.)