LATEST UPDATE AND HUMBLE PIE FOR MOM!

4/28/13
 A LITTLE HOMESICK FOR BASEBALL!


Okay so that is decent for Bingham haha they need to continue to step it up, when do they start
playoffs? It should be coming up pretty soon now right? You will have to keep me updated for that stuff! I have a pic of me and all the boys and occasionally I look back at all the great times we had! and also I have my glove and I can even just smell it and it takes me back to the field. Its helpful to me because I really love baseball and even though I'm in the Philippines the gloves still smell the same! haha

Everything is going great for me.  I'm healthy and everything like that. As for like a routine we start out in certain areas where we have a group of people to teach and stay in that barangay and then work back towards base camp,  and each day we have different barangays that we go to. Somedays are a lot tougher than others because people are "busy" or not there... so it can get really frustrating but all we need to do is continue to keep working. But a daily routine for us is we wake up at 630 and start our studies by 8 we study until 12 and then have lunch until 2 that is when we go out to work until 9 or 930 depends on if we have lessons or not at that time. And then we have to be in bed by 1030! haha so its a pretty jam packed day each day but its way fun! 

On Saturday I had the opportunity to give a talk at a little girls baptisim ahaha it was quite difficult trying to do it in tagalog but it was still way sweet!The way things are run in the church here are very unorganized though so sometimes its hard to feel the spirit just because things are so crazy at times. but it was a great expereince for me!

love Elder Hansen

 

4/28/13

LETTER TO MOM (NOT THE HUMBLE PIE YET!)

 

first off let me just say that you are looking gorgeous mom!! you look like your 25 right now!! and dad looks like he is 49 hahah oh wait he is... but it is almost his birthday huh?! and hopefully I will be able to skype home on the 13th here and the 12th there so it will be mothers day for you and dads birthday for me! but the pics were way cool to see thanks for sending them to me!! I've been doing really good though mom! I'm glad that you got to visit with everyone I hope they are all doing very good oh and next time you see the Greens let them know I say thanks for the cookies they were delicious! I'm sure Brooke and Kenna will be over for visits throughout the summer they just love you mom you were the only reason they even hung out with me! haha sorry this wont be crazy long today but definitely try and let  me know when you want to skype!! I''m so pumped to be getting that package but yeah just a bunch of candy and stuff will be awesome!! That's cool that summer is coming around it will be a very fun summer if you just keep busy then you wont think about me as much! haha and just know that I'm in a paradise out here doing the Lords work so you can be jealous that way...haaha p days are lame...all we do is shop for food email and go back we don't have time to do anything else it sucks..I thought it would be different than it was. but oh well I enjoy emailing home!! but I'll keep up the great work I promise!! love you mom try and email me once tonight alright? so I can see how your doing oh and I started that letter that I will be sending in a week or two so be getting ready for that it will take a little while for it to get there though.

I love you so much mom thanks for everything! tell all my friends going on missions that I'm proud of them and definitely try and get there mylds.mail addresses for me!!

love Elder Hansen

 

 

5/7/13

EXCERPTS FROM LETTERS

 

RILEY IS COUNCILING DARIN ON SHARING HIS TESTIMONY WITH FAMILY OR THOSE WHO ARE INVESTIGATING THE GOSPEL.

 

 I know that if you share your testimony with him often and not be afraid to challenge him to do this like going to church, reading the BOM,  etc.  he will develop a stronger faith. That is one thing that we as missionaries do all the time. We ask people to commit to doing things because faith without works is nothing. And there is also no saving grace or the atonement in our life if we don't keep commitments and live the way we are supposed to be living. So that is truly a great blessing for him and for you!  You have done so much for our family its crazy I love you so much dad thank you for everything you have done for me!!

 

I KEEP ASKING FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT HIS MISSION EXPERIENCES!  KEEP IN MIND HE ONLY HAS ONE HOUR TO EMAIL EVERYONE INCLUDING HIS MISSION PRESIDENT.

Mom its very hard to write about all the things we do as missionaries and to talk about our investigators especially over email just because I don't have a ton of time. But that is why I'm writing you guys a letter that is literally starting form the day I left the MTC.  Probably up until now and then I will start another one for like the next couple of months and send that to you? Will that be okay? cause by doing that I can get into a lot more detail about what is going on! You know what is crazy though mom is that I have all ready basically been here for a month and a half! and next p day skype day for us is my three month mark!! now that is crazy! See on p days we literally have like no time do anything...it really kind of sucks but p days are also very nice because you can kind of relax and just walk around and do whatever. Today we had a zone activity so what we did is like a treasure hunt kind of thing throughout all of Urdaneta where we had to find clues and do all these different things it was way cool and then after they fed us.  And what they did was got a bunch of banana leaves and laid them out on the table and then you put rice and different meats on the table and you all just feast but you only eat with your hands, its a Philippine thing haha but it was way cool! Tomorrow well basically tomorrow one of the assistant to the President goes home! its like hard to look at him cause he is leaving and I'm still new in the mission. Sometimes it feels like there is no light at the end of the tunnel because I still have a while but I know I'm out here for the right reason and Im really having a blast!! The nice thing is I have lost 20 lbs. here hahaha I'm back down to 200 or 199,  I prefer 199 :) I love you mom I'm so pumped to see your  lovely faces next week and that day is going to be a great day because we have curfew which means we have to be back at our apartments by 6 and p day ends at six so we cant even go out and work next week, it will be nice to have a little break to fully recoup!

I'll write Jordan and Alex next week! I love them though and I love you and Dad so much give Betty a kiss for me and be safe this week! 

love elder Hansen 

THE SKYPE CALL HOME!

 

On Sunday May 12th at around 9:30 pm we finally were able to Skype with Riley for an hour!  It was a great day!  It was Mother's Day for me and Darin's 50th birthday the next day!  What a great gift!

He looked healthy and happy!  He laughed a lot and was peaceful, joyous, radiant looking!  He just seemed truly happy!  I thought that I would cry right off the bat but it was such a relief to see him and to hear his voice and to realize that he is exactly where he wants and needs to be, that I only felt joy and relief! He asked about everyone and of course about Bingham Baseball!  He and his companion joked a bit, his companion would tease him that he stares at our pictures every night!  Then they would laugh!  It was so nice to see that they have a good relationship and have fun together.  I know Riley respects him and has learned a great deal from him.  We asked him about the work.  He told us that the focus was mostly on reactivating members who have fallen away.  Then, through those members, the work can grow.  He Loves the people of the Philippines so very much!  He told us some stories of tracting.  He said sometimes they will ask if they can come and talk to them and they will yell, "I'm busy, too busy!"  When actually he can see that they are just laying in their hammocks!  HAHA!  People take pictures of him, because next to most Philippino people he looks like a giant!  They also like his blue eyes and blond hair!   He had a man who was very drunk tell him over and over that he was his angel.  They did not attempt to teach him that day, but went back again another day.  Hopefully he will be an angel in this man's life!  After laughing and catching up Riley informed us that time was short and that he had to go soon.  He is very obedient and will not break the rules!  So he ended the call by bearing his testimony in Tagalog for us.  It was at this time that I finally cried!  But, not so much out of missing Riley, and I do!, but out of the love, the conviction and the sacredness of that sweet and sincere testimony.  Riley has grown by leaps and bounds and loves The Lord and this work that he is doing!

 

Sharon

 

 

5/12/13

Okay so I'm sorry I don't have as much time as I thought I would so just this once I'm going to send one letter to all of you. Hey I just want to let you guys know that I'm so grateful for the amazing opportunity I had to talk with you guys over skype! It was seriously so nice seeing all of your beautiful faces!! I cant believe how fast time is actually going by! I'm so excited to continue serving the Lord and I'm so grateful for this mission! But thank you so much for being such great examples to me! You have all helped me out so much its unreal! Its unfortunate that I can't speak with you guys longer but it was nice to see your faces and hear your voices it was really like I was just sitting in the room!! It was such a wonderful day and mom I just love you so much happy mothers day!! I hope dad Jordan and Alex all treated you very well and they made sure you were taken care of! But thanks for being such an amazing mom! I love you so much its unreal! Dad and Jordan, and Alex  you guys know I love you so much so thank you for being such great examples to me! I love you guys so much!! I'm sorry this has to be short I wish I could write more but I'm just grateful for the opportunity that I had to talk with you today!!

kfinn and Ben!! freak thanks so much for stopping by!! it meant a ton and it was so awesome to see you guys again!! It was literally like nothing had changed!! you guys are just the same as a couple of months ago!! so I just want to  say I love you guys and that your just amazing thanks for the friendship you have given me throughout the past couple of years!! you guys are studs keep up the good work and I promise that time will fly by and it will  be no time where we will be going to school together or something!! love all of you keep on working hard and remember to trust in the lord for everything!! He is always there for us!! 

love Elder Hansen

 

 

5/20/13

 

RILEY'S RESPONSE TO DARIN TALKING ABOUT HIS LESSON ON PATRIARCHAL BLESSINGS

dad,

I want to first start out with the thing that has probably influenced my life more than anything besides my family.

and that is my patriarchal blessing. The other day during lunch some of us in the apartment started talking about graduation and all that stuff. and it got me thinking about where I was a year ago today. A year ago today I wasn't ready to go on a mission, I wasn't a horrible kid but I didn't have the right spiritual attitude and I was more about having fun playing baseball then going on a mission. I had just graduated I was going into summer playing baseball and preparing myself for the college baseball career. And then I started thinking about the influence and the change of heart let me say almost an immediate change of heart of when I read my patriarchal blessing for the first time in a long time. I read it and it just hit me. I understood that going on a mission is what I'm supposed to do. It literally turned my life around completely, the path of playing college baseball would not have been the best path for me. That doesn't mean it wouldn't have been a good path, but the best thing and the most beneficial thing for me to do at that moment was to serve a mission. And the only way I truly knew that for my self was because of my P blessing. I know that if you get your patriarchal blessing as soon as you can and you PONDER not just read it, then it will truly guide you in your life. It doesn't matter what age you are,  you can always learn from your blessing. 

As far as you buying the Harley I think its sweet!! Even though you wrecked on one a while ago doesn't mean you can't get another one. Especially having that be your dads is a special blessing for you. You will have to send me a pic of it I bet its still in prime condition knowing your dad haha! Thats way cool about Bingham though hopefully they keep doing work! What round are they in.? Are they just at quarter finals right now? But yeah I understand not telling me about everything going on at home but don't just keep me out of the dark. Talking about stuff like this doesn't make me homesick at all. In fact I wasn't even homesick after the skype session! But yeah definitely keep me updated on what's going on! 

Was there a lot of people at c wills farewell? And hopefully my talk was okay. I think back on it and just think about you balling like a little baby down in the congregation hahaha! But I'm sure they both did good! and Kyle's farewell is like a week away?! Thats so crazy. its really weird to think about how fast time goes by out here. I think the main reason time goes by super fast is because you only get to hear things once a week from everyone so it all has one week gaps but it seems completely recent to me yano? But I just want to say I love you dad thank you again for everything and I want you to think back on when I turned in my papers and how much of an influence my P blessing had on that decision. because a year ago today I would not even begin to imagine myself in a computer room in the Philippines serving a mission. but here I am. :) and that is definitely because of my blessing and the Holy Ghost Testifiying those things unto me.

Love Elder Hansen

 

5/20/13

THIS LETTER IS IN RESPONSE TO ME TELLING RILEY ABOUT THE PASSING OF JACKIE LAMBOURNE DEL TORO.  RILEY IS GOOD FRIENDS WITH COLE, JACKIE'S BROTHER.  THEY ARE AN AWESOME FAMILY.  JACKIE DIED AS THE RESULT OF A CANCEROUS BRAIN TUMOR.  23 YEARS OLD, MARRIED JUST A COUPLE SHORT YEARS.

 

Oh my heck that is so sad about Jackie.....that seriously made me cry a little bit.   I feel absolutely horrible for the Lambournes.  Make sure you send them my love okay??? But yeah I will definitely email Cole.  I don't have a ton of time so I will send him a long email next week. Wow things sound like they are going great at home though!! Sounds like everyone is healthy and doing good things in their lives!!!

Alex riding a bike?? haha! who would of thought just kidding! 

and Jordan going on dates????? who would of thought?? haahah just kidding again! 

that is seriously so awesome for both of them! I was seriously laughing when I read the story of Alex

 getting stuck in the river bottoms hahaha that is to funny!!  but yeah dont worry mom I'm writing a big letter that is talking all about my mission so far and about my favorite foods and about people I have been teaching and about my first two lessons I taught in the field and about some sweet investigators that we have right now! You can put all of that in the blog so dont worry!! Its just hard to do stuff like that over email because I don't have a ton of time to think everything through. And actually put a lot of detail into the emails. but I will definitley have a ton of     detail in the letter. I'm starting to forget English words all ready because I don't use them enough.. its so weird, I couldn't think of the word detail for forever....haha but yeah our investigators are super sweet im really excited for you to read the letters later on!! Oh and yes I got the package today but I didn't want to carry the box around so I opened up the package and put everything in my backpack hahah its so heavy!! Thanks so much for sending me so awesome snacks it will be nice to actually eat some normal snacks for once!! Man it was so sweet talking to you guys the other day thanks for that opportunity again. And it is kind of expensive to send letters and I dont have time ever except on pdays to send them so yeah its kind of annoying but I will get it off to you next Monday! I'm going to send some cool pics of ME to you now!! haha

 

 

 

 

5/28/13

OK!  I PROMISED YOU "MOM EATS HUMBLE PIE!"  WELL HERE IT IS!


I waited faithfully for the letter Riley promised to send that would update me more fully on his mission!  But, it never came!  So after speaking to several other Missionary Moms I was feeling a bit in the dark about Riley's mission!  I was anxious to hear all the stories of his experiences!  Then, I would hear that one missionary or another could email for a couple of hours!  I would read blogs of long, in depth letters from my friends children and we would get nice, but short emails, without a lot of information!  I was, as I put it to Riley, "Getting Bugged!"  (How old am I?)  Needless to say I couldn't just wait for the promised hand written letter that Riley was working on!  No, I had to press and dare I say?...Whine even!  Until I got what I wanted, or did I?  What follows is a beautiful letter, chalked full of information about Riley's mission, AND a dose of HUMBLE PIE for MOM.  Because instead of trusting my son to be doing exactly what he needed to be doing, I put my feelings first.  I was so persistent that he did indeed tell me all he could about his mission at the expense of probably writing others who equally benefit from his letters.  What I learned is just accept what your son or daughter is writing you.  Let them do the work they are called to without the worry of pleasing everyone at home.  Just be glad for the news that is shared and know that when they return you will have so much to talk about!  BIG lesson learned!  Forgo the humble pie and choose chocolate instead!  Here goes!
Sharon

THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXCERPT FROM MY LETTER TO RILEY, THIS IS WHAT HE HAD TO CONTEND WITH!  I'M SO SORRY!

I'm kind of bugged because some missionaries get to email for as long as they want every week.  They get detailed accounts of their week.   The in state missionaries send letters and emails every week.  I know you are writing me a letter, but I feel a bit in the dark about your mission.  Are you sure that you guys only get 1 hour to email?  I don't know what to even tell people about your mission.  The one thing I can usually say is he seems happy and loves the Philippines.  I don't know what the answer is, I just wish I knew more about your actual mission, things you are feeling, questions, concerns, people.  I guess this is a lesson in patience for me.

THIS IS RILEY'S RESPONSE

That's awesome that Bingham took state!! Tell them congrats!!! and tell Lund and all of them if you see them again that I love em!

as for other missionaries....maybe their mission pres. is not as strict. Cause I promise you are only supposed to email for an hour...its up to our self to govern that....but we all know who is truly always watching. We are on the Lords errand so if I'm granted one hour of the Lords time to email that's all I'm going to use. So I'll tell you how my mission is going so far I'll spend about thirty minutes typing starting now talking about my mission!:) so first...its hot!!! haha it is unbelievably hot here !sometimes. And when its not hot it is really super wet! like shoes soaked from the inside out wet hahah so I havn't decided what weather I like best yet. On Sunday it rained so hard it was unreal and its just the beginning of Tagulan or the rainy season. and we havn't even experienced a Baguio yet. which is just like a super crazy storm! I'm actually really excited to experience one of those just because it would be way cool to see. As for investigators especially at the beginning of my mission they weren't very strong. Only like one would be progressing or none...so it was kind of hard to teach and especially because they were new investigators. A couple of weeks into my first transfer a lot of those investigators dropped us...so we were not able to teach them anymore...that was really frustrating and hard to deal with. I actually got kind of bummed out for a while. The work at that point got super hard. We had to do a lot of finding and being patient. That is one lesson you learn as a missionary right off the bat being patient. Because you cant control what the investigators want to do. you just have to invite them to repent by making changes in their lives reading praying going to church and following all the commandments. and if they choose to accept,  that its up to them. A couple of weeks ago our ward was split and me and Elder Sikat were assigned to the branch. So of course being a branch there isn't as many members or priesthood holders. So it definitely makes things more difficult. But what happened was  the branch and all the members are way more enthusiastic and have the drive to help others and bring their branch together!! And something else happened the work of the lord is starting to boom where we are at. Just on Sunday we had nine investigators at church! which is a lot of investigators! And then after sacrament they all went to our gospel principles class and then after that they went to relief society and priesthood!! I mean it truly is a miracle when you think about the work of the Lord. We never see the blessings until after the trial of our faith. That is one thing that will continue to happen throughout our lives. As I have been out serving the Lord I have come to realize this lesson, that even though for a couple of weeks our work was hard we didn't have as many lessons and we definitely didn't have investigators at church we needed to persevere! We needed to have faith and be diligent in our work and trust in the Lord that in his time he will bless us. Because like I said before, this is the work of the Lord, not my work. I need to be patient for his blessings and not try and do it all myself. As I was studying earlier today I studied a topic in Preach My Gospel,  well actually its a quote and the quote is this.. Pres Boyd k Packer- "true doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. the study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior" as I studied that quote I thought about Christ like attributes and how they can benefit us in the mission field but they can also benefit us in life. So I came up with a little plan to study an attribute and learn how to apply it in our lives. First,  we need to define such attribute in our own words that we want to develop.   Then we need to provide an example of such attribute, then third how to become that attribute. All of that is done before you look up the definition in the scriptures or online or in PMG. After you do these things,  study scriptures about such attribute, look up true definition and then after you know how to do these things you must do them. But like the quote said behavior changes by studying doctrine. So if you don't know the doctrine of what you want to become how can you become that? So that is what I'm doing and I did humility. This basically revolves around being grateful for what the Lord has done for us. And like it says in Alma 26:12 I will not boast in my strength but in Gods strength. I kind of went off on a ramble there but its important for us to develop these attributes especially for missionary work. We have to be obedient in all that we do and when we do these things we are more blessed. I have experienced this in my work all ready. I have experienced when times get hard we have to work harder and after we are just at the brink of exhurting all of our energy then the Lord comes in and carries us the rest of the way.   It's that extra step that we need to take its the extra ten minutes we need to plan or its the last house or appointment that we can go to after being rejected all day where we finally find someone who is waiting for us saying thank you for bringing peace into my life. We have to devote our entire time to the Lord and nothing less. I have been trying to be focused on the Lords work so that I will be blessed and we are now definitely blessed our investigators are progressing like crazy and are having a great experience going to church and we are having a great time teaching them and blessing there lives. I love this calling and I'm so grateful for this experience! I'm so grateful to continue serving the Lord and like it says in our baptismal covenant,  we ALL need to take upon us the name of our God at all times in all things and in all places! If we do that the Lord will look at us with a great love in his heart  and a great appreciation for our devotion unto him.

I love you guys and I hope this is a little better insight on my mission so far:)

Love Elder Hansen

I am so amazed and humbled by the love and devotion Elder Riley Powell Hansen has shown for the Lord and the people of the Philippines!  I am so proud of his desire to be obedient and to work hard so that the lives of these sweet people can be blessed.  I will never push my son again for more information or anything!  I am just so happy that he is committed to serving Jesus Christ.  I will just love and cherish every moment of his mission and any information I receive from him is just frosting on the cake!

Sharon
 

 

LETTER FROM DARIN TO RILEY

 

Riley.

Very impressive response to moms email. I am happy and quite impressed at your dedication to being exact and precise ,In your dedication to the lords work. You are a terrific example to all of us! However that means squat! To us. The important thing is what that MEANS TO YOU! In other words, you are doing the right things for RILEY! THAT enables you to
Help your investigators which is pleasing and encouraging to you! And you are doing a fine job, and sticking to the rules will benefit all !! You, your family, your friends, your investigators, your missionary president, etc...... KEEP ON DOING EXACTLY WHAT U ARE DOING!

LOVE DAD

 

RILEY'S RESPONSE 6/3/13

 

 

.hahaha thanks dad!! did you like how I used the spirit to get my point across!! Just kidding I was just being honest but thanks dad that means a lot!! I just know that if I'm exactly obedient in the work I will be even more blessed. It's the same way in life if we follow all the rules and all the commandments we will be more blessed and even more happy in our lives.

I have to email Cole so I need to end this email but I love you dad!

Love Elder Hansen

 

(Thank goodness for Dad's!)

 

 

 

 

 

6/3/13

 

Mom, you didn't offend me at all.  I just wanted to make sure you knew that I am just following the rules I wasn't mad at all I promise!! But that did come off like I was semi mad didn't it?? So sorry about that but yeah I wanted to make sure you knew that I'm doing the right thing but I also wanted to let you know how my mission is going since you were very persistent hahaha just kidding. It's just kind of funny because I can kind of say what I want to say because its not like you can come half way across the world to yell at me:) hahaha but yeah I hope that gave you a little more insight about my mission and this week we were able to get three investigators to church and all three that went to church bore their testimonies it was way cool!! I was really impressed that they had the courage to do that!! Also the work has been going really well we have some pretty solid Investigators.  But no I havn't transfered yet its just every six weeks there is a transfer. I'm still in the same area. Oh and yeah you eat pancit a lot here its a favorite for like birthdays especially because its cheap. But was it pretty good or no?

That trip sounds like it was way fun!! and the Harley is lookin sweet and yes mom you do look good in the leather pants hahaha and of course dad looks like a stud with his Motorcycle gear on! Make sure to not sell it I want to ride it when I get home.

I really do need to keep this email short if I'm going to email Cole today. So I'm sorry about that but don't worry about me I didn't even know there was an earthquake here haha and no I don't need anything I'm doing just fine!! love you guys sorry this is so short but just know that I love all of you guys so much and that I'm out doing the Lords work, and dad you better have fasted hahaha 

love Elder Hansen

So in 10 more days on June 13th it will be 4 months that Riley has been out!  He is feeling really good about the language.  He feels like he could be a leader even though it would be scary!  He is learning a lot and relies on the Lord.  He loves the work and the people!  He is happy!  I am happy! I am learning a lot about patience and prayer.  I am learning to rely on the Lord to take care of my son!  My testimony has grown in abundance!  I miss him with all of my heart and soul, but this experience has strengthened me, our family, definitely Riley and most importantly the people that he teaches.  I would not trade this experience for anything!  Mahal Kita Elder Hansen!