Monday, April 19, 2010

Regan, April 19, 2010

This week has been a really great week and we set some really great goals last week and this week that continued to propel us into having a week full of great blessings and receiving a continual growing testimony on working hard and not having a fade out finish.

Monday we had a great opportunity to spend some quality time with the Parkes family. We went with them to Fort Gaines and were able to experience some of the history of America. It was a wonderful to read and see of the different experiences and dedication that many men and women put forth for what they believed. We came back and had a great opportunity to talk with a less active member as we were doing our emails which was really great. We had dinner with the Martyn family which was really great. We also visited with a few other less active families before the night was out.

Tuesday we had a really great opportunity to continue to allow ourselves to be more directed by our Heavenly Father as we obtained a stronger spirit from district meeting. As we were able to go over the Atonement and shared different thoughts and feeling that came to us as we pondered and discussed we were all mutually uplifted and inspired. After lunch we went and continued to tract near a potential investigators house because he wasn't home at the time. We had a great time being able to testify of the Restoration and really allow other to feel the spirit speaking to their hearts. We ended up being able to see Kyle which was really great. We had a really good discussion where he truly opened up as we asked him questions and it directed us to teach him about different things within the Plan of Salvation and also the Restoration. We then went over and visited with Rachel and read 3 Nephi 14 with her. She has been doing pretty well and we are continuing to help her pack up some things so her move won't be as hectic in a couple weeks. We had a really great dinner with the Fairchild family and shared with them about weaknesses and read Ether 12:27. We were able to commit them to try and plan how to overcome their weaknesses and then put it to action.

Wednesday we started the morning off after studies by going to the doctors, so Elder Bawden could get all of his tests done before his surgery next week. We then went and visited with Brother Van Zant who has been less active for quite sometime but moved out here for work. He hasn't had much success so he told us that he was probably planning on going back to Utah soon. We immediately went and had a really great lesson on Temples with Sister Kimberly Evans and as we were there her dog gave birth to another puppy. We had dinner with Brother Klug which went real well. We then visited with a few less active member that lived near and were able to talk with them. Sister Wyser has been doing a lot better since she has been busy with work but is still trying to see if she can get some Sundays off for church.

Thursday I experienced one of the most profound things that I have been blessed with. We were asked to visit a member of the Monroeville Branch who had just had a child. Their little daughter had been having some difficulty breathing and they asked if I could be voice for her blessing. When I placed my hands on her the greatest sence of peace encircled and she gripped my hand with the most amazing grip. I was able to be voice for that amazing blessing in which she was promised and her family was promised many great things. As I pondered and thought about this experience throughout the day I received many great things about my future concerning about being a father and a husband. I feel truly blessed because of this great experience. We then continued our planning session which went really well and we focused on really improving and setting goals that would stretch us and keep focused on His work. We then went over to the Parkes and did some service for them. We were able to finally fix a leak under there house which had been causing them some grief. I was glad that being small I was able to make it in to where I could fix the problem without any further complications. We had dinner with the Hearn family that night which was really great and we discussed with them about the Atonement and how it has blessed our lives personally and collectively.

Friday we started off the morning by going over a little bit of the plans that we set and refocusing some goals that we were able to refine so we could receive greater direction. As soon as we were done with that we got ready and went over and did some service for Rachel which she was really grateful for. We were able to rip out a bunch of carpet and fix a few cosmetic problems in and outside of the house. We then came back and traveled up to Saraland to have dinner with the Mathies but it also gave us some great opportunities to be able to visit with a few less active members. We came back down from Saraland having visited with a few people and were able to make some calls to some of our potential and other investigators.

Saturday we found out early in the morning that Brother Olsen had passed away from his short bought with cancer. His funeral is going to be this Thursday at 7 and we are looking forward to being there to support his family at their time of grief. We then began tracting which I was really happy to do. We came to find out that almost everyone on the street had little dogs in their homes and many of them were catholic. We were able to have a few good discussions and were able to ask for referrals from everyone that would allow us to. After lunch we went up near the church to help Sister Parkes with a few things after a Relief Society thing and then went and visited with the Blackmon's. We found out that Brother Blackmon was in the hospital and we ended up giving him a blessing later on that night. He had some complications some medicine to help him pass a kidney stone and he is now doing a lot better. We were able to visit with the Johnny family and they are doing really great. We got everything set up for them to make it to church and we are really grateful for the members helping us get them to church. We finished the night by visiting with Brother Serrano which went really well. He has been doing pretty good and we read some scriptures with him.

Sunday was a really great day for us and I would almost say that it was our best day of the week. We had a great time at church and really the spirit was very strong throughout all of the meetings. The Relief Society sang a beautiful intermediate hymn which brought the spirit in even stronger during sacrament meeting. After potluck we went out with Brother Norwald who is getting ready for a mission and tracted. We had a great time and found both Harry and Adi. It was amazing being able to go out and tract and really see that if we put our full effort in and finish the week strong blessings do continually come. We went and visited with the Wyser's that evening to let them know about Brother Olsen and invited them to church next week. We also received a referral from them which was really awesome. We visited with the Ferrel/Gower family which was really great and we are really hoping we can get them back to church. Brother Ferrel isn't a member but he does strongly support the church. We came back home that night and had a little bit of study and dinner time which allowed us to continue to press forward in our marking of the Book of Mormon.

This week has really been a great week and as we continue to build and strive to increase our happiness by being Obedient we will truly experience the true Joy that Heavenly Father has waiting for us.

Love You

Elder Regan Hansen

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