Missionary from ASM... Or am I?

Every time I think we're gonna get a slow week, it becomes an adventure. From transfers, to mission-wide zoom calls about big news out of nowhere, to general conference, to learning how to sew, too intense...

Let's start with the most interesting things...

I've learned how to sew!

To reiterate, I did know how to sew before my mission. If fact, I actually found myself fixing a lot of ties in the MTC, and repaired a number of other items that have been falling apart over time. It's remarkable how much power is contained in a needle and thread. Sounds weird, but how many missionaries have you heard made a clothing garment?

Yeah... So I've gotten a lot better at a sewing machine because we found one in our apartment, and I'm not sure why it's here. There's a date on the box that says 2018, so I think it's been sitting in that closet for a while. So I had to see if it worked!

In my pictures attached, the super baggy red shirt with the black collar I sewed. It's no where near perfect, but I wanted something like it for going to bed, but I left all of mine at home. So... DIY I guess can happen everywhere. I'm pretty proud of it.

Anyways, enough of my random after 9 and P-day projects (if you can't tell, fam, my impulsive project ideas are still a big part of who I am).

This week started pretty slow, well, as slow as a mission really gets. We teach English weekly, so this Friday, we got ready for it as per usual. Our attendance was out of this world this last time, and everyone was having a lot of fun reading from pass-along pamphlets to practice. It's really interesting teaching English because it's all from French, so not only are they practicing their English, I am practicing my French. My French comprehension is quite a bit higher than most of their English understanding, but it's still interesting how it's a two-way road. I've come to realize there is a lot of things like that in life. Even as teaching as a missionary is like that. Turns out, the more you teach certain things to people, the more you begin to understand it for yourself.

Speaking of which, after the class, we had plans to meet with one of the members of the English class. He is a member of the church, but we've been feeling like we've been needing to meet with him. We had made a backup plan of what to teach him if our conversion died out fast, but we felt like we should just talk with him.

Turns out, that's one of the best ways to teach. I have come to learn that God often prepares people and a lot of people have questions that make sense-- and God has prepared a way to answer them. So we just started talking to him, and speaking to him honestly. He expressed some concerns with us, mostly about physical needs. But as we continued to talk and share scripture, I shared a verse, Isiah 49: 15-16, and he read it from a French Bible we have in the church.

He sat back in his seat, and I could see things turning in his head. That was when things began to spill out and we knew, and he knew, what to try and do after our meeting. We could have tried to force what we prepared, but instead he needed a lesson on prayer. I have never seen someone learn so much during one of our lessons. I wish I could take credit for it, but it was by the spirit. We asked him if he wold pray as we concluded our meeting, and to pray for the things we discussed.

He agreed and processed to in the most honest heartfelt French/English prayer I've ever heard. He concluded in the name of Jesus Christ, and we all sat up in our seats.

"Do you think it'll work?"

"I think so. I know it will."

We said our farewells and concluded our day. What a note to end on.

Right before conference this week, we also had a lesson with a man referred to us from missionaries living in the South of Cyprus. It was really interesting because he texted us in the morning that he was feeling very sick. So we took this as he wasn't going to be able to come to our lesson. BUT when the time comes around, he calls us and asks us if we are at the church for his lesson.

"Uh, yeah! We'll be there in two minutes?.."

So we get there, set up the chairs for the lesson, and he comes in walking a few minutes later.

"Brother, I thought you were not feeling well!" I ask.

"I thought, 'if I didn't come, the Devil would have won.'"

So we sat down, and he began to tell us his stories of why he wanted to meet with us since he's left Nigeria.

If you need to be humbled, meet with someone who's gone through half the stuff he has. And if you need a testimony that God cares for his children, listen to half of the things he has been saved. God guided this man to this church.

He said through tears, "I want God to arrest me, and care for my family home." He had to flee the country because he was fairly well paid in Nigeria, and people became envious and tried to kill him. He had to flee the country.

God is preparing his people to receive his gospel. They may come from anywhere or any place. God loves all of his children.

"(Friends name), you have been preserved up to this moment. God has a purpose for you, and loves you."

After a very long discussion and lesson of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we concluded with prayer. We gave our farwells, and I fell into one of the sacrament room chairs convering my face. A detail I left out was that I was having the worst migrain of my entire life the whole lesson. I sat in that chair after the meeting/lesson, and just focused on regaining enough strength for the walk home. After about 5 minutes, we left the church, got to the house, started general conference, and I proceeded to throw up from the migraine. It was an adventure, but I think God will preserve you for what you are needed, because somehow we still went through that lesson. Was asking the other Elders, "How many ibuprofens can I take before it kills me?"

I will say, what I got from all of this was one thing: Often we are told to not worry about the numbers as missionaries. It is really good. We should keep them in mind, but not try to force people's agency. But I think this needs to be taken even a little step further. I have felt, often we go into a lesson with someone thinking, "This is what we are going to teach them today! Hopefully the spirit will guide us to teach this lesson." This is good, because we strive to be guided by the spirit, but I think we need to take it a step further. The most effective lessons I have had so far is taking time to prepare a lesson for someone as a back up, and when you meet with them, you see what you ACTUALLY end up teaching him or discussing because their needs may be different than what you were planning, and the lesson will be tailored for them. I still need to experiment with this a little more, but so far it has been far more successful and meaningful.

As per usual, I don't have a lot of time, so I will explain quickly. Transfers were this week! This up coming week, ELDER HUHTALA WILL BE MY COMPANION (my MTC companion)! The Huhtala/Hansen companionship back at it again! I'm actually very excited, and I feel like I haven't been able to see him a lot these last few months. Elder Huhtala, we are gonna be working up a storm down here!

Now for the last bit of news.. There's gonna be a bit of change about my mission, but I don't know how I could say it, so I'll just quote what our mission leaders sent to us after a mission-wide zoom call.

"IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!
We have learned that the First Presidency have decided that the Adriatic South Mission is to be reorganized. On 1 July 2022 Greece and Cyprus will join with Bulgaria to become the Bulgaria - Greece Mission based in Bulgaria.Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania will form one mission based in Tirana - the Tirana Albania Mission. Both sets of leaders are very excited about their new callings and will be wonderful. There will be a short zoom introduction meeting so you can meet President and Sister Aurus sometime this weekend. There will be some work ahead as we work with two sets of brand new leaders and help to reorganize the mission offices. We love you all  and we know this is inspired and it’s going to be great! President & Sister Burdon"

Hope you all are loving the snow! It's crazy!! Love you all!!!

Elder Dylan Hansen
From ASM soon to be BGM