Week 60 - September 25, 2017 - Morgantown, West Virginia

Heyy y'all! This week has been a little different than my more recent ones haha. As you guys know, I don't like putting negative things in my emails because missionary work is a positive thing! But I thought I'd let you guys know what's kinda gone through my head this past week:

So as a missionary, it's common and easy to get down on yourself. For a lot of reasons. And recently I just haven't felt like I've been living up to my potential lately but at the same time I feel like I've become the best missionary I've ever been. This past week, I was really struggling with those thoughts. However, I know that Satan was really trying to just get me distracted from the work and unfortunately, it kinda worked. Once I realized that, I started to realize that God doesn't care about where you've been in your life but He cares about where you are RIGHT NOW. And right now, I know that the work needs to be hastened. I'm never gonna let those kind of thoughts distract me again because I know what God sees great potential in all His children. HE'S the one that created us. That knowledge alone tells us that we really can become what He wants us to be, but only if we LET Him.

We also went on a fun hayride and service project this week with the Cheat River Ward. Great way to get to know the members better!


UPDATE ON INVESTIGATORS:

Jeremy and Cassie. They're both doing fine. Not much is going on with them right now. Unfortunately, we didn't teach him the stop smoking workshop but that's the plan in the near future. Right now we're just trying to figure out what both of them need right now :) so pray that we'll be able figure out how to best help them this week!

Julia. She's a new investigator who's awesome!!! Like she's straight fire!! Her husband barely speaks english. But that's OK. She's someone who was truly prepared by the Lord and is ready to receive the gospel :).

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK:

So this week General Conference. First of all, WOW that's crazy. Second of all, the challenge this week is gonna be the same thing that I challenged y'all to do the past conferences, TAKE NOTES. Because these speeches that we're about to listen to are coming DIRECTLY from the Lord. Write down how you can align your life more with Christ's. So stoked!

FUNNY MOMENT:

So Elder Prince got this laser that shoots for like 10 miles! This is funny cuz we really like to play with it especially when it gets dark and we're just outside tracting or something. It's kinda fun to mess with cats, dogs, and other specimens...like people. Haha!

Love y'all! Stay safe and know that I am so thankful for your incredible examples in my life! 

D&C 121: 7-9

- Elder Hanson

Hay ride with the Cheat River Ward

Hay ride with the Cheat river Ward members

Sick WV hats at the Mall

Harry Potter in WV!

Sooooo tired

Week 59 - September 18, 2017 - Morgantown, West Virginia

Ayyy y'all! Soooo this week was pretty good for the most part! We're teaching quite a bit and getting to know more and more people! We also had a little bit of a scary experience on Wednesday. So before Elder Prince got to Morgantown, he got bit by a brown recluse spider and it got to the point where we decided to go to the ER on Wednesday because there's this hole in his leg now. He seemed a lot more calm about it than I was haha. I just hate spiders with a fiery passion so yeah. But they ended up just giving him some antibiotics and he's doing a lot better now! Haha! So I mean that's good. This experience has solidified my hatred for spiders hahaha. 

OK SO AS PROMISED! I'm gonna talk about the Elder Cook conference last weekend! Holy cow! It was sooooo good! He talked a lot about how as members of the church we need to work as a TEAM if we want this great work to progress. It's really true. That's one of the reasons I do the "CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK" portion of my emails every week. Because as we work together to move this work forward, we can all grow closer to our Heavenly Father TOGETHER and fulfill His commandment of sharing the gospel of Christ with those around us.

UPDATE ON INVESTIGATORS:

Jeremy and Cassie. So this week, we're gonna teach Jeremy what's called "the stop-smoking workshop". It's designed to eliminate the urge for the use of tobacco in a week! He just has to follow the certain steps to accomplish it. So please please pray that he'll be receptive to it and be able to stop smoking so that he can be that much closer to being baptized!!

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK:

So in 2 weeks, we get to hear from our beloved Prophet, Thomas S. Monson and the 12 Apostles and members of the Quorum of the 70. So the challenge THIS week is to PREPARE for the messages that are gonna be shared. Look up previous conference talks to spiritually prepare yourself and to remind you about the important messages that were shared. 

FUNNY MOMENT:

Ok so just about everyone in this zone knows that I love Harry Potter right? So we were on exchanges with these elders in our zone and we were at a Taco Bell (I've eaten there like 3 times this week). I sat down with the elders and one of the elders named Elder Curtis leans in to Elder Prince and says out loud (to make sure I heard), "Hey you know what's really stupid? Harry Potter." I was pretty salty at first because I thought he was serious but then I realized he was just being a ding dong. Haha! Then they got me talking about Harry Potter for like 15 minutes after that.......I have a problem.

Anyways, LOVE Y'ALL! I hope you guys have a safe and fun week! Don't do anything I wouldn't do! And if you do, take pics! 

3 Nephi 1: 13

- Elder Hanson

Brown Recluse Spiders - Yikes!

Elder Prince during study time

Elder Cornwall and Noah

Elder Decker and Noah

Week 58 - September 11, 2017 - Morgantown, West Virginia

Hey y'all! This week was pretty good overall! Elder Prince (king kong) has officially arrived in Morgantown and it has been.....AWESOME!! We've been working really well together and we get along too so that I mean that helps I guess. Hahaha no seriously though things are going really really well!!! Weather has been good. No hurricanes lol. Our missionary booth last week was at WV University. It was a little awkward at first but it was fun! I'm still awkward though haha.

So the Elder Quinton L. Cook conference was awesome! I now have a firm and sure testimony that he truly is an Apostle of the Lord! I'll let you know more details next week! I don't have a ton of time but yeah the deets will come next week! I promise haha! IT WAS JUST AWESOME!

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK:

So I've done this one before but it's something that I think is needed in every day life. Think of someone that has wronged you in any way. Right now it might seem difficult to forgive them but I have a strong testimony that not forgiving someone only hurts YOU. The point of this life is to be happy. And when you forgive, you feel that peace that comes from the Atonement. That's a promise! 

FUNNY MOMENT:

So as y'all know, my nickname is Donkey Kong. And if you don't know that by now then wooooow that's ok. Anyways, so Elder Prince's nickname is KING KONG. It was decided a long while ago. And now the Kong's are reunited for time and all eternity. Anyways, that's not as funny as my other ones but I think it's hilarious. 

Love y'all! I am so grateful for all of your examples in my life! Be safe and keep on keepin' on!

D&C 121: 7-8

- Elder Hanson

Elder Prince

With Elder Wilson and Elder Prince - Nice Ties

Zone Leaders - Hanson and Prince

Week 57 - September 6, 2017 - Morgantown, West Virginia

HEY Y'ALL! This past week and a half has been great! So transfers are this week and sadly, Elder Howe is leaving me. This transfer has gone by so fast! Definitely the fastest transfer of my mission so far! I'm staying here in Morgantown and my new companion is ELDER PRINCE!! I've talked about him a couple of times in my previous emails cuz he was my zone leader when I was in Princeton! He's my new companion and I'm more than hyped!!

Also, Elder Quentin L. Cook (Apostle) is coming to Charleston this Saturday to talk to all the missionaries!! Wahoo!!! I'll let y'all know how that goes next week :) I'm so hyped! We also went to Cooper's Rock State Park today!

UPDATE ON INVESTIGATORS:

Jeremy and Cassie. We're not too sure what's going on with them. We haven't been able to see them for a week now and we don't know why...he's been struggling with the Word of Wisdom lately sooo if y'all could just pray for them and that we'll be able to see them and help them out in any way that we can!

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK:

So something that I've seen throughout my whole life is that whenever someone asks for a volunteer to say the "opening prayer" or "closing prayer", there are literally like no volunteers. I've always wondered why that is. I mean, you'll get a chance to talk to the most supreme being who loves you more than you can comprehend, in behalf of everyone. So next time that someone asks for a volunteer to say the prayer, RAISE THAT HAND!

FUNNY MOMENT:

So we were teaching this guy named Scott and he had a box full of random stuff next to him. At the end of the lesson he asks me if I collected anything back home and all I said was, "Well I have a few Harry Potter wands". And he's like "Oh!" and he just whips out this Harry Potter snow globe from the box next to him and gives to me! I was more than excited to say the least! It plays music and everything!! 

Love y'all :) hope you guys have a great week and stay safe! Kiss kiss.

Elder Noah Hanson

"Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead-a lot of it." -Jeffrey R. Holland

Our Booth at West Virginia University

Cooper's Rock

Cooper's Rock

One of these things is not like the others

Splits with Elder Aubrey

Elder Aubrey and Noah

Yes, holding a snake!

Cooper's Rock