This week was real good.
Funny Story.. We went out to pizza with a member and the owner of the pizza place is Italian. When we were getting ready to leave I went up to him, shook his hand and thanked him for the delicious pizza. He said ‘you’re welcome’ and told me his name was John in a super thick italian accent. After that he stared at my name tag, trying to read it, then said, “OH! You are Mormon!” Then he grabbed my hand pretty tightly and started leading me to the back kitchen. Sister Steenhoek was a little ways away talking to a member so I kind of panicked I started yelling her name across the restaurant. John and I got to the back kitchen and there were a bunch of chef’s and kitchen workers and he says pointing at me, ‘Look! A Mormon!’ I was blushing pretty hard by then and giggling awkwardly because they were all just staring at me. Sister Steenhoek finally caught up and then one of the kitchen staff comes into view and says he was a Mormon and attended the Cary Spanish branch. Then John says, ‘Yea yea! Mormons!’ We laughed it off all the way to the car.
On Sunday during Sacrament meeting I was pondering about our Savior and His role as ‘the mediator’. When trying to really grasp an idea or concept I often try to imagine how I would draw it or what a drawing of it would look like. Because when I find or come up with a picture in my head that connects with a concept it is engraven and stuck in my brain forever. I remembered John’s big hand and how encompassing it felt. I pictured holding the Savior’s hand and him leading me toward Heavenly Father. When meeting Heavenly Father I imagined Jesus Christ placing my hand in Heavenly Father’s hand and then putting His arms around both of us in a gentle way pulling us all closer together.
We also learned a lot about Faith in Jesus Christ this past week. To have faith in good things is good! It leads us to do positive things. I could tell John was a good guy and I had faith in him to not kill me in the back kitchen and it lead to a good thing – meeting a Mormon who worked there! To have faith in Jesus Christ leads us to Salvation. It leads us home. I love what the Bible Dictionary says about Faith, “Faith is to hope for things which are not seen, but which are true (Heb 11:1, Alma 32:21), and must be centered in Jesus Christ in order to produce Salvation. To have faith is to have confidence in something or someone. The Lord has revealed Himself and His perfect character, possessing in their fullness all the attributes of love, knowledge, justice, mercy, unchangebleness, power and every other needful thing, so as to enable the mind of man to place confidence in Him without reservation….” Then it goes on to say, “Where there is true faith there are miracles, visions, dreams, healings, and all gifts of God that He gives to His Saints.”
My faith in Jesus Christ has increased this past year, and especially in His Atonement. I know that Jesus Christ IS the Son of God. I know that He loves every single one of you. And love is an endless supply of forgiveness. He recognizes when we are trying our best. We get credit for trying even if we don’t succeed. “The Lord blesses those who want to improve.” The word perfect just means to try your best. So folks. Just try your best. Hope on. Trust on. Trust our Savior because He is perfect and will always be there for you. Put your hand in His and He will lead you back home.
LOVE YOU!
Sister Hanseen
Photos
-sorry for the red eye. Rachelle and Raniya, 2 grandaughters of an investigator we got to teach while they were in town from Chicago
-just crazy ol’ me testing out the light for Sister Steenhoek
Sister Nyia Hanseen 