1/27/14

Dear Family and Friends,                                                                   January 27, 2014

 

Every week, we write by starting out, dear family and friends.

Has this become an unchangeable habit to go on forever?

Must we go on repeating forever this common song?

Can we not rearrange the furnishings and décor of our homes?

Can we not change our daily apparel and put on new clothes?

Must we continue this same greeting forever and evermore?

Can you tell I’ve been reading this week in the Book of Psalms?

I cannot refrain from expressing myself in this style of prose.

It has overcome me and entered into the creases of my mind.

It has consumed me from the top of my head to the soles of my feet.

I am helpless before this form of expression. I cannot refrain.

 

This week passed, has been the longest of our mission.

Not because of the work has been slow and tedious.

But because so much has happened, within these seven days.

It started out with the most spiritual district meeting of our mission.

Our district leader changed the pattern of our district meetings.

Raising and lifting us to new heights and a spiritual level.

We were immediately overcome by the scariest event of our mission.

Our dear Sisters found themselves in great peril and distress.

By the hand of the Lord they were able to “get themselves out”.

Followed by night of much sobbing and many tears from the sisters

And comforting assurances from Sister Hansen and very little sleep.

Since the Elders were without a car this week we became their escorts.

Escorting them to a myriad of homes,

Most of which were filled with smoke and dogs and one hamster.

Mom’s lungs which are already heavy from all the moisture

Were filled to overflowing with all the smoke and dander.

A new policy has been declared.

Where there is smoking, we are staying in the car.

The branch had a youth temple trip this week,

Which we were able to participate in, even though it is two hours away.

Great to be dressed in white. Great to be within the walls of the Temple.

Sunday was a special Stake Conference held three hours away.

We took Danny VanFleet and the Sisters with us.

For the first time in 30 years there was a new stake created in Arkansas.

The new stake got the old stake president.

The old stake got a new stake president.

We are part of the new stake, the Searcy Arkansas Stake.

We met in a very elaborate high school auditorium in Lonoke, Arkansas

Basically there were two stake there.

We sat next to a couple

That were brought into the church by Daniel Perza from Weiser.

 

 

 

 

I do not write Poems so this will just be a regular letter from me nothing poetic.  Since Dad has been reading Psalms he has been waxing in prose.

We spent one week taking the Sisters everywhere and then the Elders everywhere.  Elder Bluth is very sick but thinking that he was invincible he kept right on going until he had to admit that he was way to sick to continue going out.  I was very glad that he finally decided to get some help.  The mission Doctor lives in Georgia and follows Sister Peterson’s  prescription suggestions, then he will call in the prescription to Walgreens.  The drug of choice is always a z-pack, I suppose it is because it is relativity in expensive and in five days the infections should be basically cleared up.

     Last Tues. was eventful.  We had probably one of the best District Conference’s ever.  I think all of the missionaries found it to be inspirational and uplifting.  It was a breath of fresh air blowing through the room.  The day ended not so good.  The Sisters even though they had been prompted not to go to a certain apartment did not heed the prompting and went anyways.  These naïve girls saw up and a little to close the seamier way of life.  They were able to get out of the situation that they found themselves in but they were scared out of their wits and hysterical by the time we got here.  Sister Hill refused to sleep anywhere else but here.  They had decided not to tell the President what happened but they didn’t remember that Elder Bluth is the District Leader and responsible for the missionaries under his direction, he called the mission President.  They had a good learning experience one that I don’t think that they will ever forget.

     I told Elder Bluth that if I had to go into those homes  where you could cut the smoke with a knife I would wear a mask so all the smoke could be filtered out.  Look funny oh yes but health wise a good move.  Everyone here that can barely support themselves have dogs.  The have big, hair shedding dogs.  

     We got up super early and drove 3 hours to attend stake conference and then drove home for 3 hours.  The Sister just went to sleep in the back seat and I joined them.  Dad had Bro. Van Fleet to keep him awake.  The conference was good even with the speaker system blowing up and scaring everyone listening.  All the babies were crying, children were trying to find protection and the adults were stunned and covered up their ears like I did.  Dad was scared badly enough he thought he would wet his pants.  Good thing that the janitor was there and saw and heard what happened.   I had packed a little lunch which we ate at a gas station.

     I don’t believe in coincidences but we sat right next to a couple that had joined the church because of a missionary from Weiser.  What a great experience to be able to visit with them.  The man asked where we were from and I told him Idaho then he asked if I knew where Weiser was Why yes I do.  We live there.  Did I know Elder Perza?  Yes I do his parents live in our Ward.  They have not forgotten him and are so thankful that he taught them.  So the conference was extra good because we were able to visit with them.  What is so amazing there was 1,700 people there and we were sitting next to Bro and Sister Wirt who knew about Weiser.

     The temperatures are so crazy here yesterday it was 67 degrees today the high is 28 degrees.  That means that we have to go to the church and check the water and make sure that it doesn’t freeze.  I’m not sure why the church didn’t put in insulation around the pipes especially in the kitchen area.  We have had to fix faucets more times then we should have to.  So tonight we will go back and let the water dribble in the kitchen.

     Yes indeed it was wonderful to be in the temple.  It was like coming home  It was only the second time that I have helped with youth baptisms.  We combined with another branch and a ward so that there would be enough to make it worth while to fill the fount.  We didn’t have to drive so that made it even better.  The Memphis temple is about the same distance away as the Boise one is so it is about the same except for the traffic.  It is so much more traffic then Boise that driving makes Dad very tense.

Well my dears I have written enough.   We pray for you and we move forward doing our Missionary work.  Love you all

                              Dad, Mom, Papa and Grammy, Elder and Sister Hansen