June 30, 2015

It's been another awesome week here in the Sweetwater 3rd Branch!

We have had a fantastic, but fairly normal week here!

Some of the highlights this week!

Last Wednesday we went to the Mormon Battalion Historic Site with our investigator Ulises. We had a blast! I'll include a picture. It was his second time there but it has been years since he's gone. I think I mentioned this before but he's been meeting on and off with missionaries for more than 10 years. He has a baptismal date for August 8 and we are super stoked to help him work towards it! He's been reading in the Book of Mormon and loves it!! Keep him in your prayers! :)

This week I have been studying a lot about Grace, and the Atonement. I've been meditating a lot about where I was personally about a year ago, where I am now, and where I want to be in the next year, two years, five years and even more. Thinking about the distance I've come it makes me grateful for the grace of god, but also makes me think that I can do more. But the question is how. As I've been studying it's clear that nothing I personally can do will ever reach up to the standard of Christ, but through Christ, we can reach that standard and reach our potential. Here is a quote from President Uchtdorf's talk in April's general conference that really stood out to me. "Another element of God’s grace is the opening of the windows of heaven, through which God pours out blessings of power and strength, enabling us to achieve things that otherwise would be far beyond our reach. It is by God’s amazing grace that His children can overcome the undercurrents and quicksands of the deceiver, rise above sin, and “be perfect[ed] in Christ.”  Though we all have weaknesses, we can overcome them. Indeed it is by the grace of God that, if we humble ourselves and have faith, weak things can become strong."

Throughout my mission I have noticed as weaknesses get pointed out and made obvious, while at the same time they are erased and made into strengths. I know that it is only through the grace of God that this is possible. I also have realized that we can't just sit around and wait until the grace of God makes us something better than we are. We have to be constantly striving to live the gospel, so that the Lord can make up the rest. 

 I really like this quote by Lorenzo Snow “Do not expect to become perfect at once. If you do, you will be disappointed. Be better today than you were yesterday, and be better tomorrow than you are today.” 

There are a few random thoughts that have been going through my head this week. I hope that made a little bit of sense. I invite you to all study that talk by President Uchtdorf. Here's the link so you don't have an excuse to not read it! :)  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/the-gift-of-grace?cid=HP_TH_6-18-2015_dPTH_fGC_xLIDyL1-A_&lang=eng

Dad! Happy happy birthday! Do something extra special to celebrate! I love you!! You are the best dad in the whole wide world! I'm so blessed to have you!

Love Elder Hansen