OCTOBER 31 2016 MY FRIEND THOMAS

OCTOBER 31 2016

Last week, the Relief Society president introduced us to her father, Thomas.  He was been living the the campo, and just reciently moved back to Abancay to live with his daughter.  He is just one of those darling peruvian abuelitos, ya know, the ones that I seem to talk about every single week. Anywho, he is not a member, and has been assisting, and is interested in taking the lessons.  Yesterday, we were talking to him in the church and talking to him about his baptism.  He said "Claro que si mamacitas!"  And explained his great desire to join the true church.  (Im still a little confused because about 5 mintures later he leaned over to me and whispered, "I will be Catholic till the day I die!"  I figure he may be a little crazy. So....yeah we shall see how it goes :)   During sunday school, he asked if he could stand up and say a few words.  He proudly stood up and said that his name was Thomas, and that he was Catholic.  Then he turned and pointed to us and said. "These mamacitas are doing a good work.  And because of them I am growing closer to God."

Crazy or not, I love that man. And Im grateful for the small role I get to play in his life, in helping him grow closer to his Father in Heaven.  

This week, the zone traveled to Andahuaylas for our conference/interviews with President.  I always feel so rejuvinated after a good conference like that! We talked a little bit about when Peter began to walk on the water.  But when he started to look around him, the winds and the storm, he began to sink.  When we have our mind, and heart set on Christ, we cannot fall.  He is our rock, our foundation, and our Savior.  And He is the only way to return to Father in Heaven.  It made me do a little self evaluation, of what was really at the center of my life.  The miracle of the mission is not just simply being a missionary and doing missionary work.  The miracle comes from when we put Christ in the center of it all. 

This Sunday was seriously a miracle Sunday.  We woke up Sunday morning feeling a little bad, because we werent able to visit everyone that we would have liked to visit during the week because of our travel.    So we called and did the best we could, and off we went to church.  When we got there, Norma with her two sons were already there waiting for the church to be opened! In her hands she held the money she had kept to give at her fast offering. She later explained that she had already fasted two times.  It was amazing. Little by little, our faithful investigators came trickling in.  Towards the end of the meeting, I started looking around at all the people who had gathered in our small chapel.  An overwhelming feeling of gratitude and admiration came over me, as I looked at faithful pioneers who had been asisting their whole lives, since the church was still new in Abancay.  I looked at those who were investigating the church.  Those, who I know, had sacrificed more then we can imagine, to be there that Sunday morning.  

Like I always say.  I recieve so much, more then I deserve.  Gods blessings were many this week. :)  

Well, I hope you all have an amazing week and a super duper Halloween!  

Con Amor,

Hermana Hansen

                                                                        ZONE ABANCAY

                                             


                                               THIS IS WHAT YOU CALL A TRUNKY PICTURE!
                                      EVERYONE THAT IS GOING HOME IN THE NEXT LITTLE BIT.

                                                                                    PDAY