Week 34 - March 27, 2017 - Princeton, West Virginia

Whattup y'all! This week was a little crazy! Haha! Mainly just because of transfers and everything. I got a brand new sister missionary in my district and she's awesome. She's from Utah! Haha shocker. It's been another rough week though for finding new investigators. We just can't seem to find new people to teach! But I'm optimistic and I know that Heavenly Father has someone prepared for us out there somewhere! We just gotta keep working hard and find that person :)

So I learned something that really stuck out to me this week during my studies. It was about how we often look at Christ's life just full of misery and suffering for us, but how often do we realize the JOY that he must've felt while we endured so much for us? We always get a good feeling whenever we do something good for someone, so can you imagine the joy he must've felt after doing that? He had the ULTIMATE JOY. That's why I always say to look for different opportunities to serve other people so that you can feel just a little bit of that joy that Christ felt for us when he atoned for us. Something to think about.

UPDATE ON INVESTIGATORS:

Michael W. So he's a former investigator but there's an awesome story with him! So on Thursday, we pull up to our apartment and see a note on our door. And the note was from Michael. The note said that he wants to meet with us again and that he wants to be BAPTIZED in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!! We're teaching him today for the first time in a LONG time and he is fully committed to it! Miracles are real y'all! 

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK:

So General Conference is this weekend. My challenge to y'all (if you don't already) is to take diligent notes! That is something I regret not doing back home whenever I would watch it. But I took notes last general conference and I got SO MUCH MORE out of it than I did when I didn't take notes. The people that are speaking are called of God and are inspired by God. So it's extremely important that we take heed to the words that they say. And what good do their words mean to us if we don't take notes? 

FUNNY MOMENT:

So yesterday, we had dinner with that same elderly couple that wanted to tell the "clean version" story of how they met and we were talking about different TV shows. Then the wife randomly yells, "HAVE YOU EVER WATCHED THE WALKING DEAD!?" I was literally like, "Whoa, take it easy." She then said, "I love that show so much! It's on tonight and I literally cannot wait!" I was just sitting there in shock. I would've NEVER thought someone as old and innocent as her would watch the Walking Dead haha. I thought it was hilarious!

I love all of you so much! Thank you for your love and support towards me during this time on my mission. I cannot thank you enough! Have a great week!

John 16: 33

ELDER HANSON

Elder Wilson and Noah

My awesome Princeton District with pictures of our parents.

So Happy in West Virginia

My awesome Binky candy

Deathly Hallows!

Week 33 - March 22, 2017 - Princeton, West Virginia

Hey everyone! So transfers came this week and I am staying in Princeton along with Elder Roberts.
Princeton is kind of like Gallipolis. It's a pretty decent sized city haha. The ward is (overall) pretty helpful in missionary work. 
I haven't eaten anything crazy really. Although I did have some gross as fetch ribs yesterday that made me have the worst stomach ache this morning. Literally I hate ribs now.

This week was a lot slower than the past couple have been but we were able to see so many miracles with our investigators that I'll talk about in a sec! But first things first. Mom, I hope you had an incredible birthday on Sunday! Thank you for all that you've done for me and for always being there. I love you so much Also, happy anniversary yesterday to my parents! Seriously love you guys! 

UPDATE ON INVESTIGATORS:

Vanessa Cox (investigator). So she's been taught by missionaries for a LONG time! And she has never come to church. But on Sunday, she finally came!!! Wahooo!! She's on date for April 15th and I have a really good feeling that she's gonna make it! Just keep praying for her that she'll be fully ready for that sacred and beautiful day! 

Janet and Griff Williams (investigators). So they didn't come to church on Sunday but they DID come to the fireside that we had on Sunday! And Griff told us, at first, that they weren't gonna come but then he got a feeling that he should ask God if they should go. So he prayed and asked and he received the answer, "These missionaries were placed in your path for a reason. Find that reason." So they ended up coming!! It was so awesome! 

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK:

So I've done this one before but I seriously love this one! The challenge for you guys this week is to do something COMPLETELY ANONYMOUSLY for someone! For example, leave a plate of cookies on someone's doorstep, clean your sibling's room, etc. I've done that quite a bit this week with my companion and you honestly get such a good feeling when you do it. Because we shouldn't be doing "good things" for people to receive recognition. That makes us prideful if that becomes the reason we choose to do good. So do something anonymous for someone!

FUNNY MOMENT:

So my companion and I were ordering food (again) and my companion ordered first. And the person that was taking our order was, yet again, teenage girl. She called my companion "Sweetie" after he ordered and he turned around and smirked at me. And I just rolled my eyes haha. But then after I ordered, she called me "babe" and I instantly started laughing. I looked over at my companion and he throws his bag of food on the ground and screams, "I'M TIRED OF HAVING ATTRACTIVE COMPANIONS!!" Hahaha! I fetching died! Cuz he literally screamed it so loud in the restaurant! Haha!

Anyways, I hope you all have a great week! Always stand up for what is right! Love you all :) thank you for your prayers and support! Means a lot!

3 Nephi 9: 14

- Elder Hanson

Princeton countryside

Butchered a Hog

Elder Roberts and the Hog

????

My great Princeton District

President Salisbury

Week 32 - March 13, 2017 - Princeton, West Virginia

email:  noah.hanson@myldsmail.net

Packages/letters:
Elder Noah Hanson
240 12th Street Ext. #17
Princeton, West Virginia 24740

blog: http://eldernoahhanson.blogspot.com/


What up y'all! Can't believe it's already Pday again haha. Literally this week went by so fast for me! And I also didn't even realize last week when I was emailing you guys but I've been out for over 7 months!! What the heck? Kinda seems like it was yesterday when I saying goodbye to everyone and meeting my MTC companion Elder Carlton. Hahaha! Time flies when you work hard every single day!

UPDATE ON INVESTIGATORS:

Griff and Janet. So last Pday, we were just chillin in this music store and this guy named Griff comes up to me and asks me if we were the Mormon missionaries. I was like, "Yeah that's us!" Then he started asking a lot of questions and I was able to answer most of them (thanks to the little spirit guy) and I asked if we could come over to his home and share what we do as missionaries and he said yes. We went over the next day and him and his wife, Janet, were super into the Restoration. They're both very religious and asked a lot of questions. But it was such a good lesson and they're super friendly! So just pray that they find the answers to their many questions that they have about the Book of Mormon and all that! That would be great!

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK:

So my challenge for all of you this week is to watch the "Lift" Mormon message. Then afterwards, think of someone who you know that's struggling physically, emotionally, or spiritually and reach out to them. Whether that's just shooting them a text, calling them, visiting them, just something that will help LIFT their spirits and feel the love that Heavenly Father has for them. 

FUNNY MOMENT:

So yesterday we had a dinner appointment with a couple who are members. They are super friendly and super innocent as well haha. But just out of curiosity I asked them, "Sooo just curious, but how did you two meet?" They both start laughing really hard and I just sat there really confused haha and then the husband was like, "Well honey, should we share with them the clean version of the story?" She said, "Yes the clean version, they are missionaries!" I literally just sat there like, 'What the heck?' Hahahaha hopefully you guys thought that was funny because I DIED laughing as I was typing this.

Anyways, love you all so much! Thanks for your amazing examples in my life and I hope you guys are sharing that example with those around you! Hope you guys have a great week!

Alma 7: 23

- Elder Hanson

Happy Birthday Mom on the 19th! Love you so much!

Me with a monkey mascot!

Week 31 - March 6, 2017 - Princeton, West Virginia

So this week was soooo much better than these past couple of weeks have been. There is not a single doubt in my mind that Heavenly Father is getting me through this trial. I have a firm testimony that Heavenly Father loves every SINGLE one of His children and that's why I'm out here on a mission is to share that love. Yes, I needed a reminder of why I came out here but I know that this trial was Heavenly Father's way of reminding me. I love this gospel and I'm so grateful for the impact it has had on my life. 

So we were at this part member family's home on Friday and they have like 5 kids and 3 of them were sick. Instantly I was like, "I'm gonna get sick". The mom was like, "Don't worry, what they have isn't contagious. You'll be fine I promise." So we taught them our lesson and everything and then as we were leaving, one of the girls that was sick sneezes on me while she was hugging me. And I was like, "You're kidding". Next day, I was sicker than a dog. Hahahaha. My immune system literally is the worst. But I'm better now!

UPDATE ON INVESTIGATORS:

So we weren't able to visit Vicki and her family this week cuz they were all sick. BUT we were able to pick up the dad! (lolz last week I said she was a single mom but I guess I lied whoops). But yeah the Dad invited us back and he even told us that he "hates preachers that go around and knock on strangers doors" haha. So I guess we got on his good side :)

David Oaks. He's a new investigator and he's our neighbor! He is actually super cool! He was really accepting of the message and even understood that you need to have the authority to baptize or else "it's pointless" in his own words haha. But he's so awesome! 

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK:

So something that I did on Saturday while I was sick was I wrote down in my journal the different ways I saw God's hand in my life that day. And wow. You literally don't realize how much God blesses you throughout your day until you actually sit down and think about what he's done for you that day. Even the little things. So my challenge to you guys is that you do the same. Tonight, write down the ways that you saw God's hand in your life that day and I PROMISE you that you will be humbled greatly and your love for our Heavenly Father will increase.

FUNNY MOMENT:

So I was at this place called "Bojangles" for dinner on Friday and this teenage girl takes my order. She then asks, "Can I get a name for this order?" I say, "Hanson". She looks at my name-tag and writes something down that makes the other teenage girls behind her giggle. I was like, "Da fetch did she write?" And then she hands me the receipt and it says "Handsome" instead of Hanson. Then she was like, "Oh crap! I forgot that the names print out on the receipts! I promise I'm not weird!" Hahahahaha I was laughing so hard. I was just like, "Thanks...I guess haha". 

Thank you all for your love and support and your prayers! I truly love all of you so much and I hope you all have an awesome week!

Moroni 7: 48

- Elder Hanson

Sheep!

Happiness and the Ukulele

Burning my tie

The best district ever!

The Princeton District!