April and May 2009

Many people have asked how we feel with the eighteen month mission about over. 'Is it bitter-sweet?' 'Are you sad?' 'What will you do with yourselves now?' I guess our 32 years in the military taught us how to do 'closure' and move on. We have lots of things to do in the future and will be happy to move on--though the mission has been one of the choicest experiences we have done together. I think that is because we really have done it together--24-7!

These last two months were busy for us. I continued to head up the Organ Recitals on each Saturday until the end of May. Elder Hansen continued to do all that the Assistant to the Director does till the end of May. We said good-bye to our special missionary friends, Sorensens, Hills and Swainstones and hello to the Warths--who replace us.

Our guest visitors seemed to come very steadily and there have been lots of school field-trips and Primary groups. We had a special outing with the Senior Missionaries to Pipe Springs and Leeds. Elder Hansen had much work to do at home in the yard with the spring-time planting and grooming. We spoke in a Bloomington Ward about missionary work--and will speak in our own ward in June. I continued to play piano at every Sacrament Meeting in the Visitor Center. Elder Hansen participated in every Sacrament service as well. We had many opportunities to bear our testimonies.

We know the missionary work will continue successfully without us--just as it did before us. That is how service is--you do the best you can in your 'time slot' and the work progresses--with or without you.

Near the beginning of our mission our granddaughter, Jessica, asked me, 'What is a mission?' I have thought about her question a lot and would like to say to her:

"A mission is when you voluntarily do something that you are asked to do or are sent to do. 'Going on a mission' for the Church means you are called by the Prophet of the Church to a certain mission for a certain amount of time. What you are asked to do may vary with your assignment, but the whole purpose of Church missions is to bring people 'unto Christ.' Missionaries are glad to accept that call because we love our fellowmen and want them to be happy--which people can do when they understand God's Plan of Happiness for each one of us."

We have been glad to be a part of the missionary effort to bring God's children unto Christ. We don't always see the end results of our work--but we do know we have helped people feel God's sweet spirit and have tried to encourage them to find out more. It has been a happy time for us to be on a mission.

Thanks to all of our friends and especially our family for the support and encouragement we have felt for this past year and a half. We have received blessings from your prayers and love.

We hope you are all finding the important priorities in life and are working toward those goals. Know that we love you.

Sincerely, Elder and Sister Hansen

March 2009

I don't think I mentioned that Elder Hansen gave the tribute to our Directors, the Nelsons, at their Farewell Party. I bring this up because he is still getting many great remarks about all the research and effort he put into the presentation. He not only produced a booklet for the Nelsons, but also one for each of the current missionary couples. He spent about three months researching and putting it together--with pictures and charts and original artwork, and, of course, with everything documented and dated. He also got recipes and we made taster samples for the Nelsons to try of mesquite muffins with sorgum syrup and prickly pear candy. It is one of the highlights of his efforts here.

Elder Hansen is so very good at knowing dates and names and stories about the histories of this area (and Church History in general) because he is constantly studying and gathering facts and data. When he gives tours he uses stories and really involves the guests in getting into the frame of reference of these early pioneer settlers and what they were expected to do and how they did it. Very often he is told by his group that they have learned more history on his tour than any others they may have taken--and they really appreciate his knowledge.

Though March has the first official day of Spring, we have enjoyed beautiful weather in this St. George area for awhile. We are about two weeks ahead of the rest of Utah and people love to come to St. George to get out of the cold of northern Utah. We love them to come because they often come to the Visitor Center and Sites and that gives us a chance to see them and, hopefully, inspire them.

We became trainers again. This time for the Wheelers from Hurricane. We know it is somewhat overwhelming for new senior couples with so much to remember for so many sites. They are wonderful people and we love them as friends.

February 2009

Three Hansen Missionary Couples

The Hansen couple on the left came to our mission before us so, when we arrived, they became Hansen 1 and we became Hansen 2. Couple Hansen 1 left and the third Hanson couple came. So, to keep it from becoming too confusing, we became Hansen E and they became Hanson O. We love them all! This picture was taken at the Farewell Party for the Nelsons---Hansen 1 came for the Party.

Besides the busy-ness of the daily shifts and our extra duties, we have enjoyed visits and calls from family and friends. And, Elder Hansen has worked in the yard to get it ready for Spring.

Carol and Tom spent four days with us so we could have some time together---Tom went to softball games and Carol and I had a good visit. It took four days to get about two days worth of visiting because of our shifts and half days. We loved having them spend time with us.

Saturday is usually our busy 'wedding day' at the Temple, especially in the morning. Valentine's Day fell on a Saturday so we had LOTS of weddings. And, it was a lovely pre-Spring day. So, we really enjoyed our morning shift at the Visitor Center with all the pretty 'dressed up' little girls and 'bow-tied' little boys and their relatives, who were watching them while they waited for the bride and groom to appear...sometimes a very long wait. We are not set up to baby-sit, but we can show them our movies and take them around to see what is in the Visitor Center. It's just such a happy time for everyone...

For Valentine's Day I gave Elder Hansen a 'heart attack.' (Lots of paper hearts in all 'his' places around the house.) He gave me some applette and cotlet candy...which we both love. We have learned much about each other as we have been 24-7 companions for 14 months. Being married doesn't give you that much time together...so it has been a growing-together experience to be on a mission together. It has been good for us to appreciate and love each other.

The Temple closed the last two weeks of February for maintanance. Elder Hansen and I worked four hours in the Temple putting together language-translator boxes that had been disassembled to clean the parts...it took us that long to get them all done. We've really noticed the difference in the number of visitors at the VC when the Temple is closed. I love that the Temple draws people in to see us at the VC.

Speaking of the Visitor Center, I had four lovely young mothers from Mesa come in the other day while we were serving there. They were having a 'girls-time-out' together. They had come to go to the Temple--not realizing that it was closed. They decided to see the Stonecutter and the Pioneer Miracle movies. I spent time with them--we talked about the movies and what we can learn from them. There was such a good spirit...we shared special experiences. I hope they felt the sweet spirit that I did as I was with them. When I can visit wonderful members like they were, I try to encourage and affirm them and send them away with a desire to let the Lord love them and love Him in return.

Mike, Wendy, Megan, Savannah and Kaitlyn all came up on Friday afternoon, spent the night and went home on Saturday afternoon. We had nice meals together and played Ticket to Ride., etc. They came to celebrate my birthday---so we did. The girls are growing up so fast...Megan and Wendy fly to CA for Megan's Cheer Squad National Competition.

I have been given a different 'auxillary' responsibility. Instead of doing the monthly calendar and Tabernacle Program Flyers, I will now organize the weekly Saturday Recitals. I will get organ and piano performers lined up to perform. So, I will have to think a bit about how that can be a successful missionary effort.

I set a goal to read Philip's Book of Mormon while on the mission. Though I have read it many times before, it is pleasant to read it again in this setting. Whenever I find a quiet time--on shift--I read. I'm on Alma 39...I think I will get it all read by the 3rd of June---I hope it pleases Philip.

I still find it a struggle to ask people for referrals--I do it sometimes, but it is awkward for me...I had hoped I could get better at it by now. But, I do work hard and I hope successfully--at helping people feel happy and encouraged.

My determination to live the Gospel continues every day and I am happy to know I have it in my life to bless me---so I can bless others.

January 2009

With the New Year have come some changes. Elder Hansen has been released from being in charge of the early morning Sacrament Meetings every Sunday. He is now one of the Assistants to the Director. He has extra meetings and problems to solve---so it really is demanding his expertise and good judgement. He will be of great help to the new Director who is arriving on the 20th of January. We have been here for over a year now so he really does have experience that could be helpful.

We have learned to love the Nelson's and it will be hard for us to see them go. They have been such good directors--but mostly they are good missionaries, and good people.

That has been one of the greatest blessings to me about the mission. We have been with the best, hand-picked people available to be our fellow missionaries and friends. I'm sure we will have some eternal friendships from this experience.

This picture is of all the missionaries we work with here. Of course, the young sisters get transfers every six weeks so some of them move around--but we often have them rotate back again. They say we are like their grandmas and grandpas---and we easily could be. We love them and try to encourage and help them all we can. They also help us in many ways, too.

December

I had a 'tender mercy' experience with my sister Gail in Inkom, Idaho. Alisyn and Anna went with me to go see her. She had cancer and was put on hospice. We arrived about 5:30 pm and visited with her long enough to tell her we were there and loved her and were planning to spend the entire next day with her. She was in a coma but I know she knew we were there. Gary asked us to go get some rock salt, since they had just had an icy snow that day. When we returned she had passed away---just a few minutes after we had visited her. I am sure she waited for us to come before she passed on. She was always good like that--trying to be good and serving everyone. Now this picture of all us sisters at her wedding with Gary in 2005 seems very appropriate. She is in white and is now 'our' angel.

December 2008

Here are two of my favorite Christmas decorations at the Visitor Center. The tree was decorated by one of the Stakes in St. George--there are four stakes who do it every year for us. We called this our 'star' tree. It is paper stars cut out of water-color paper--folded and sprayed gold. The little shepherd and lambs are so precious and seem to draw people.

The other is a nativity creation by one of our young missionaries, Sister Robinson. She drew and water-colored it and did the cut-out paper and set up the display. She is very talented and creative. I think the 'Mary' looks like Sister Robinson.

Christmas on a mission is so wonderful! I love the closeness you feel to Christ and really long to tell people about His love for each of us.

November

I see I have put these posts in 'upside-down' order. Maybe that's because I've been so long since I have 'posted' that I forgot how. Anyway, I want to add a picture from Thanksgiving. Alisyn and Anna came to Ivins on Monday and spent the days till Thanksgiving cleaning our house, shopping for the Thanksgiving meal---and even putting the final touches on the Brigham decorations. It was such a delightful time for us! Then Mike and his family, Erik and his family and finally Eric and Darrin and Darrin's brother arrived. We had such a good time visiting and eating. Elder Hansen and I still had missionary shifts to do--but they came to visit us when they could. This picture is Grandma enjoying a surprise visit with grandkids at the Visitor Center.