Mission Conference with Elder and Sister Teixeira

So last week was amazing!!! We had some GREAT experiences. 

On Monday we met with the Relief Society President in our ward to talk about a few less-active women that she thought we could visit/strengthen. We are working on getting in contact with 2 of them, but Sister Handley got in contact with one of them on Wednesday while on splits and she invited us back this week! Yay! 

On Tuesday we met with J again. It was a beautiful lesson. We got there, and J said she had been reading in the Book of Mormon and she knows that it's true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. G couldn't come and J doesn't speak English as well as G does, so we had to use google translate a little bit (haha we are working on it! There are some members who speak Portuguese that we can bring with next time). 

J told us that she wants to be baptized in the right way and that she wants to learn the doctrine behind it. THAT was pretty unexpected! We read 2 Nephi 31 with her and it strengthened my testimony of how much better the Book of Mormon and the Spirit can explain things than we can - the chapter was speaking right to J. We invited her to baptism and she accepted for the 13 of September. We have a lot to do! We're making a baptismal calendar for J so we can get everything done on time!

Our district from the MTC. Not much has changed ;)

Then on Wednesday Elder and Sister Teixeira from the Sevently came to our mission. We had an amazing mission conference and learned SO much. Sister Sederholm started the conference with a talk about humility, and it was a direct answer to one of the questions I came to the conference with. 

President Sederholm then spoke about having the faith to find those who are prepared to receive the gospel (IN DENMARK! It's possible!!! I know it's true!). It was the perfect way to start the conference, because a lot of things were said that are going to change the mission but only if we're humble and faithful enough to follow them. 

Søster Hale and Søster Barrett

Elder Teixeira focused on the big change that will be coming at some point in the future: Ipads! Ahh! He told us that we need to be the kind of missionaries that are worthy of using the Lord's technology, because otherwise we will be wasting the Lord's time. 

Something I realized as he was speaking was that although I can't access technology now to do to work, members can - so we have started inviting members to share videos on facebook, reach out to their friends through facebook, etc. And my commitment to you for the week is to find a Mormon Message to share with someone on facebook - either a general like and share (on your wall? Is that what it's called?), or to someone in specific. Will you do it today? 

I know that it will uplift and encourage someone, and cause them to think about how they are living their life. And I promise you it will make you think more about the small and simple things you can do to share the gospel in everyday life. Even being on Facebook can be a chance to make someone's day better or bring them closer to Christ!

Sister Hale, Sister Grant and I at the one year mark! we got to see each other at the conference and it was so great! 

Random side note - I read an article in this month's Liahona from Elder Christofferson this week, and he talked about remembering our purpose as we share the gospel. Talking to friends at work or school or wherever, or sharing something on Facebook, or doing home and visiting teaching aren't the end goal - they're a way to reach the end goal, which is inviting others to come unto Christ. It's not about the numbers or whether the person you're talking to is an active member of the church or of a completely different faith (or no faith at all!). It is about inviting everyone to come home to Heavenly Father again. I know that it's possible to invite others to come unto Christ every day - because I have done it.

Elder Teixeira encouraged us to find through the people we already have by asking them about their friends and family and following up by asking what we can do to help those people. 

Sister Teixeira encouraged us to have more contact with the people we work with by setting up more than one appointment with them each week. We have been doing both this week, and so far have set up multiple appointments with one of our investigators this week, and are on our way to finding more people to teach through the people we already have. 

It's so exciting! There is no doubt in my mind that the Lord is hastening His work here in Denmark (and in Iceland!). There are more people being taught all over the mission than ever before and you know what the greatest thing about that is? We're changing more lives and helping people see the need for God in their lives.

On Saturday we got to the temple! It was lovely. There's a good chance I'll be transferring next week (aaaaaaah!) and I don't know when I'll get the opportunity to go again, so it was good to be there.

Søster Handley and I at the temple!

The second half of the week was kind of a test of faith - we're applying what we learned in the conference, but our appointment with J fell through and she couldn't come to church, and some other things fell through, but are we giving up? NO! I know that everything is done in the Lord's timing and Elder Teixeira promised us that if we applied what we learned from the conference, especially by finding through the people we're already working with, the amount of new investigators we are getting in the mission will double or even triple in the next few weeks. I believe him! I am excited to see it happen!!

I know I'm here in Denmark for a reason and the work is hastening. I know that I am a representative of Jesus Christ and can tell people that the message we have is true and will change their lives if they let it. I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I can have strength to make changes in myself and my attitude even when I don't want to or don't feel strong enough to. I know Jesus Christ lives and wants all of us to know Him. I hope you get the chance to help someone come unto Christ this week. :)

And us in the cold weather outside... a few days ago it suddenly turned into fall. Goodbye summer days!

I hope you have a great week!  

I'm praying for you all. :)

Love,

Hannah

PS - more pictures of the Mission Conference on the Denmark Copenhagen Mission Blog.  There are a couple more cute pictures of Søster Barrett!