Land of ports

Date: 04-30-2018
Companion: Hermana O'Barr
Area: Vancouver East Stake, Prune Hill Ward

The greatest blessing happened this week and I just have to talk about it because it made me so happy.

POTLAND POTLAND POTLAND!!!!! I GOT TO GO BACK!!!

Anyone remember the Barahona family? If not, no worries becAUSE I REMEMBER THEM AND THEY'RE THE BEST AND HOLY COW NO ONE UNDERSTANDS HOW MUCH I LOVE THEM AND THATS OKAY, I'LL JUST KEEP SHOUTING IT UNTIL EVERYONE KNOWS.

Okay, *flashback to January*
Bonnie, Noe, Tony, and Brian all go baptized and it was such a good and happy filled moment and I didn't think it could ever get better.

UNTIL THIS WEEK WHEN

Noe, now having the priesthood, was able to baptize his now 8 year old daughter and it was so good! The spirit was so strong and I was so happy that God let me be apart of this miracle! I love this family with all of my heart and I'm so so so happy because of them!

Something I've thought about a lot this week are things that hold us back. We all have something. Whether it's work, a video game, coffee, nicotine, energy drinks, SOMETHING. We all have it!

Matthew 4:18-22
Peter, Andrew, James, and John are all fishing. They're doing their job. They're doing something they want and something they think is very important. Until Christ asks them to follow Him. Their responses are immediate and powerful as they leave their nets and their father to go follow the Savior of the world.

So we all have our own nets. Something holding us back. And Jesus Christ is asking all of us to come follow Him. The question is, are you going to be like the apostles? Are you going to leave your nets to follow Him? Are you going to do it immediately? Or will you wait until you're done? Christ only asks us to follow Him because he knows it will make us happier than our nets now will make us. And sometimes it's really hard to give up our nets. It makes me think of the Lamanites in the book of Mormon who take an oath to not shed the blood of men anymore. So they buried their weapons(or nets) deep in the earth. And when they thought they needed them again they did not grab them again, because they'd made a promise with God that they would leave them. But God provided a way for them to survive, by their sons helpign and serving them. (Alma 24)

As we make a promise with God, that we will leave our nets, bury our weapons of war, God promises us in return that He will grant unto us our righteous desires. I'd you leave your coffee because you want to feel closer to God, then He'll help you. If you promise to slowly get off nicotine because you want your family to be whole again, He'll help you. If you want to stop playing video games because you actually want brain cells, God. Will. Help. You.

I know that God loves us and only wants what's best for us. I know that as we make that effort and show Him we're trying, we will have added strength given to us because of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

-Sister Emma Hansen

☀️FIND JOY☀️

These bruises make for better conversations . . .

Date: 04-23-2018
Companion: Hermana O'Barr
Area: Vancouver East Stake, Prune Hill Ward


*flashback to 2 weeks ago*

Well let me tell you about a man named Dave. Dave claims to be a sailor. In fact, he was one of the best sailors of his time. As we sat in this man's house he told us he didn't believe in God and he didnt believe the nephites could sail their way across the Americas because no one taught them about sails or anything of the sailing sort. As we kept talking with Dave about who God is and what He wants for all of us, we asked him if he would be willing to pray and ask God if He was there, and wanted him to be doing the things the book of Mormon tells us to do. Dave replied and said he felt like God wanted him to be an artist.

I've thought about this encounter with Dave for a while now. Thinking about how sad I was for my fellow brother who wouldn't even take the time to ask God if He was real because, and I quote, "I'm a 73 year old man, I'm not going to change" and the fact that he would say anything to keep living his comfortable life with no progression.

How many times have we let something get in the way of our happiness because we're too afraid of change, or we don't want to put in the effort or motivation to change? In short, we don't have the faith to change.

Mormon 8:38 asks us
"Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that misery which never dies - because of the praise of the world?"

Or in other words, "why do you think the praise of the world, which leads to never ending misery, is better than endless happiness?"

Often times, I find myself worried about the things in the world. About my image, what others think of me, ALL THE STUPID THINGS YOU CAN THINK OF.

Verse 14 in chapter 9 says
"he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still."

If you're not happy right now, it's because you need to change. God has asked us to do a couple of things on this earth because He knows what will make us happy. Sometimes we see the things He asks us to do as "rules" or "restrictions" but I see these commandments as blessings. As I have strived to live the commandments in my life, I have felt more happiness than the world could ever offer to me. I have felt more joy and comfort as I have turned to my Savior and anything that is found on the earth. And that doesn't mean it was easy. Often times it's HARD to live the commandments. But it all starts with a desire. Once that desire and that faith are there, and we turn to God, that's when we start to see the miracles happen.

I promise you that God is still a God of miracles and He hears your prayers. Here are some of the miracles I've seen just this week:
-I've survived 15 months in the mission field
-Jorjan Werry showed me how to sew yesterday
-Prune Hill got two new investigators because we had 5 sets of missionaries work every inch of our area
-I took a picture with an ewok
-I didn't break my hand when I accidentally punched a shelf this week (I think)(chill mom)
-I received revelation from The All Powerful Creator of the universe.
-God loves me

Please take the time to evaluate where you are at right now, look at the miracles in your life, and ask God where you can improve and change. I promise that you will find more happiness and joy in your life than you have ever had before.

Also please remember how much I love you! whether you're struggling with the word of wisdom, you're living your best life in the Tallahassee Florida mission, you're flying to Minnesota this week, or whatever your situation might be, you have someone who's praying for you!

I love youuuuu!

☀️FIND JOY☀️

1. Tell me this dog doesn't look like an ewok
2&3. It was sunny and nice outside and I really enjoyed it
4. I fit in the trunk of our car (we're finding out the important details here.)
5. Last very cool friends pic on the mission. )':
6. Mount Hood!
7. I don't even know at this point I'm sorry.

You have your coke, I have my salt. Leave me alone.

Date: 04-16-2018
Companion: Hermana O'Barr
Area: Vancouver East Stake, Prune Hill Ward

Moses 6:55

Well, if anyone was wondering if Mollie and I were the same person still, I would have to say yes (except I'm like the Disney sequel that everyone is all "NOT as good as the first" but it's like tolerable? Ya know the feel?) In case you don't know who Mollie is or get her weekly emails, long story short, she ended up with a flat tire a couple of weeks ago.

I, just had to go and copy her because I miss my sister oh so much, and this week Hermana O'Barr and I had to change a tire. Luckily I remembered how from the one time my mom made me, and everything was alright. I even did it in a dress so take that Satan.

Has anyone found any JOY? I've been telling everyone for the past 15 months to find joy and I just want to hear some happy miracle stories from everyone.

I've been studying joy and happiness recently. And something that annoys the CRAP out of me is when people say "happiness is a choice" there are so many people that I've talked to on my mission who've definitely not been happy and they had the right not to be. And who the heck is anyone to tell them they should just get over it and either act happy, or literally just not care and be happy.

In the talk "until seventy times seven" Elder Robbins quotes the scripture I mentioned at the beginning. If you haven't read it yet, I'll wait while you open to it. If you don't have the pearl of great price near you, you can go to lds.org. Or you can download the gospel library app.

But this scripture talks about how we taste the bitter so we will know to cherish the good. LET ME TELL YOU. That is 100% true. And how can you expect to cherish happiness if you are just expected to be happy all the time. Now I'm not saying just go around and be a Debbie downer all the time. HECK NO. That's why I always say Find JOY! You gotta go look for it and most times you have to look for it.

But it's okay to not be happy all the time. That's why Jesus Christ came to this earth. He came so we could rely on Him and turn to Him when we're not happy. He came because we need Him. So in those moments, when you're not happy, turn to Him. Pray, read scripture, talk to a friend who knows about the book of Mormon. Go to church. JUST TURN TO HIM DANG IT.

he gives you tender mercies. Like getting to see your best friend who you haven't seen since the beginning of your mission. Or the best dessert at someone's house after a lesson. Or maybe like feeling the spirit. And he gives you JOY!!!!

☀️SO GO FIND THE JOYS☀️

- Sister Emma Hansen


1. Bff.
2. Flat tire. Ft. Pamphlets and book of Mormons (don't even fight me on how to say the plural of book of Mormon.) 

3. Comps

4. Tags
5. It's exactly what it looks like. Lolz

Texts from Members

Life Saving texts & pictures from Members 

Sister Adams and Sister Hansen, August 29, 2017

"Your sweet daughter is helping us move.  She is a hard worker and wonderful." Jane Johnson

Sister Sitala & Sister Hansen, August 31, 2017

"Your daughter is a delight, and doing well."

Sydney Staker, Sister Hansen and Sister Townsend

September 22, 2017

Sister Townsend and Sister Hansen, September 23, 2017

"Your girls are doing great!  They have been doing a lot of service this week, physical labor, and I think they are a bit tired.  I love having them live in my house while they are serving in the Fairway Village Ward.  You have raised wonderful young women.  These two have great unity, I bet they will be close long after their missions are over."  Besty Schott

Sister Townsend and Sister Hansen, September 9, 2017
"Cookie Monster Day, had so much fun.  I love my/your daughters." Sister Hobbs

Honestly, sorry I keep missing weeks and I'm just forwarding from my last email I'm lazy as heck

Date: 04-02-2018
Companion: Sister O'Very
Area: Vancouver East Stake, Prune Hill Ward

YO FAM. WHAT IT IS. 

Literally I'm sorry that I'm the WORST and just keep not emailing, I promise I'll try to do better but I can't make promises that I probably won't keep so like, sorry fam.

This week was so good!!!! WE HAVE A PROPHET ON THE EARTH TODAY. HE GUIDES AND DIRECTS US AND GIVES US THE GOOD STUFF! I'M SO GRATEFUL!

This conference we watched two sessions at the stake center and we definitely had to bring our snacks and stuff because gotta be comfy when listening to the prophet.

Also some stuff that I thought was cool from my personal studies this week:

"Humility also includes being grateful for our numerous blessings and divine assistance. Humility isn’t some grand identifiable achievement or even overcoming some major challenge. It is a sign of spiritual strength. It is having the quiet confidence that day by day and hour by hour we can rely on the Lord, serve Him, and achieve His purposes." Quinton L. Cook. October 2017. The Eternal Everyday.

"And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up;" 3 Nephi 24:15

"Do not suppose, because it had been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness." Alma 41:10

"The essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ entails a fundamental and permanent change in our very nature made possible through the Savior’s Atonement. True conversion brings a change in one’s beliefs, heart, and life to accept and conform to the will of God (see Acts 3:19; 3 Nephi 9:20) and includes a conscious commitment to become a disciple of Christ.

Conversion is an enlarging, a deepening, and a broadening of the undergirding base of testimony. It is the result of revelation from God, accompanied by individual repentance, obedience, and diligence. Any honest seeker of truth can become converted by experiencing the mighty change of heart and being spiritually born of God" David A. Bednar. October 2012. Converted unto the Lord.

People, we are walking through a dark maze right now. And let me be the first so say that I am stubborn and would love to walk through the maze all by myself but I know 100% that that will never happen because I keep tripping or falling into deep pits or plug in an old alarm system so the alarm beeps all night and ya get no sleep and you're tired in the morning. GOD DOESN'T WANT US TO BE TIRED. He has promised to give us guidance that we wont plug in old alarms and we will be able to sleep! All we have to do is listen to him. We have to drop our pride, accept the help He has already offered us, and JUST HAVE FUN. STOP BEING SO ANGRY AND SAD AND MAD ALL THE TIME AND JUST LOVE EVERYONE. we'll children of God!

I'll probably email y'all in like 3 or 4 weeks or something idk, ya never know with me. Sorrz.

- Sister Emma Hansen

☀️FIND JOY☀️

P.s. in case you couldn't tell I think tripped like 6 times this week and I plugged in an old alarm system at our house so it beeped all night and I think I got like 13 hours of sleep this week total. LOL.