Fear not, Little Flock

Well, I emailed you only 3 days ago, so not much new has happened... Sister Bottorff and I were asked to sing "Coming Home" again at the senior couple arrival devotional, and that was really fun.

Olsen, Guild, Bottorff, Hansen, Heacock, Cowles, Urness, Garcia, Wilding

We still haven't received our updated travel plans, but that's just because the travel office is slow at getting the notices out. But no worries, we are all set to depart the MTC this Thursday (2 days). Besides the fact that I haven't even thought about packing yet... I'll probably start that today. Maybe tomorrow. We'll see.

In just about 4 days and many, many hours of flying, we will be in an unknown land where right at this very moment the Lord is preparing people to meet us and hear the good news of repentance- and isn't it such great news?? We get to be forgiven and start fresh, with zero burdens, every single day.

What would you think if I told you you were smarter than the smartest man in the world? You've heard of that guy, Stephen Hawking, right? Supposedly the smartest man in the world, because he knew physics and by all of his smart physics stuff thought he could prove that there is no God.
I am smarter than the smartest man in the world. We are smarter than the smartest man in the world, because we know exactly where we came from. We know where we're going. We know our purpose on earth and it's not just to eat and suffer and fall in love and die and lose everything and that's it. I know that there is a God and all the physics in the world can't convince me otherwise.

Pretty cool, huh?


Ханьсэн Эгч


D&C 6:34-37

 34 Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.

 35 Behold, I do not condemn you; go your ways and sin no more; perform with soberness the work which I have commanded you.

 36 Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

 37 Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. Amen.

Certified English Teachers

I have lots of new info. We finished our training at the ELC (English Language Center). Sister Olsen and I will both be teachers at New Generation Secondary School in Mongolia, which from what I understand is basically a k-12 public school specifically for learning foreign languages. That's pretty much all we know about it, but I'm excited!

Teaching my first real English class at the ELC (English Learning Center)

Our classes were recorded and we had to go back and watch ourselves teach and evaluate. That was weird.

Also, we got to meet both our presidents this week! President and Sister Harper are our new presidents coming end of June, and they came to the ELC while we were there! They are wonderful, and I am so excited to get to know them even more in Mongolia. Then a few days ago we got to Skype with President Benson because he had some more travel info for us.

Turns out there were some flight issues and we are now ALL traveling together through Seoul to Mongolia! We're all pretty happy about it. Plus, we've heard that the Seoul airport is way nicer than the Beijing airport, so that's good.

We are now certified English teachers! (with Sister Guild)

Because we spent so much time at the ELC, we didn't have much study time and weren't able to teach many lessons. But I actually really enjoyed the ELC. We got to practice teaching real English classes to real foreign students, which was super cool. All the people there are so awesome. There are students that come to study there from all over the world. It was a really unique and amazing experience. At lunch one day, we asked one of the students why he was here learning English, and he said because he wants to be able to listen to the prophets and apostles and understand them without a translator. He said "I want to learn the language of the restoration." I thought that was so amazing, and I had never though about it before. I learned a lot this week. One of the coolest things was how much trust and responsibility God has given me, and all of the Mongolian teachers. I remember in high school thinking, someday I want to change somebody's life. Well, here's my chance. Being an English teacher in Mongolia is going to do just that. I am giving these people the tools to make their lives better.

We're in a car! We haven't been in a moving vehicle for over 2 months! (On the way to ELC) 

Elders: Cowles, Wilding, Heacock

Sisters: Bottorff, Hansen

I've had many incredible experiences through my life, and some of my absolute favorites have been meeting people from every culture and background. The world is such a beautiful, interesting place full of beautiful, interesting people. The only problem with it is it makes me just want to travel so many more places! I now have a running list of like a bajillion countries I need to visit before I die. So don't be afraid to keep dropping coins in my adventure fund at home. Thanks.

I know you asked me a whole bunch of questions this week, but I can't remember any of them. We're like, really super exhausted, and very excited to get on that plane. Oh, we also will go back to our normal P-day schedule, so I'll have P-day again on Tuesday. I guess you could say we're pretty spoiled.


Have a good week,


Хайр,
Ханьсэн Эгч

WE GOT OUR TRAVEL PLANS!!

*Drum roll please*

Dear Sister Hansen,
You have hereby been reassigned to labor in the Kentucky, Louisville mission.

Just kidding. We got our travel plans to Mongolia yesterday! It was so exciting! We didn't expect them to come until dinner, but we were eating lunch and we saw our Elders all come into the cafeteria holding those bright pink papers and we stood up and cheered from the opposite side of the cafeteria. So much hype. 10 weeks is a long time.

Travel plans!!! (Blurry for security reasons)

For reasons unbeknownst to us, they split our district into 2 travel groups. We are all departing the MTC on March 17. I will be going through Beijing. The other group goes through Korea. Then both groups will arrive in Mongolia within a couple hours of each other. We added it all up, and including layovers and everything we will be travelling for a total of 36 hours. Sounds like a 36 hour nap to me. Not even complaining.

In other news, yesterday was our last lesson with Sister Mologdalli, who is our adorable native teacher. We love her so much (even though we rarely understand what she is saying) She is one of the kindest hearted people I've ever met, and without her sweet words of encouragement and comfort, I probably would have had a lot more mental breakdowns than I did. It was so sad to say goodbye, BUT she told us that she is returning to Mongolia to finish her degree, so we will see her there!! Hearing that was like Christmas- it will be so amazing to see a familiar face in a terrifyingly unfamiliar country.

Sister Mologdalli,

This week we finished up our online English courses, and starting Monday will be at the ELC from 8-3 every day. I am actually super excited. I've really enjoyed the online course, because we have been able to practice putting together lesson plans, and learning a lot of really cool insight about teaching a language. I've also realized the last couple weeks how much God has been in the details of my life. He obviously knew years ago that I was meant to go to Mongolia, and made sure that I had some very specific experiences to prepare me for this calling. I've noticed that many of the experiences I had last summer at camp will be SO beneficial to me in this responsibility. I am very grateful and excited for the future.

Elder Wilding got a bloody nose not 60 seconds before this picture was taken. 

We've super been enjoying the warmth this week, doing our personal studies outside and getting fresh air as much as we can. I hope everyone at home is taking advantage of the beautiful world that we live in! Go on a hike for me!

Хайртаи,
Ханьсэн Эгч

p.s. I have an envelope jam packed full of all the temple names that we've completed just since being at the MTC. It's pretty cool. I'll send those all home as well.

#MTClife #mongoliaulaanbaatarmission

By the time I leave the MTC I'll have seen the whole ward come and go! Cool to see Elder Brown this week!
(We assume the photo bomber is Elder Brown's companion...)

Another pic from the Lassons: Companions Bottorff and Hansen

A Lasson Encounter

[From Jen's parents: We just received the following email from a senior couple that is currently at the MTC and ran into Jen. It was so nice of them to email us!! You can find a reference to this meeting in Jen's Mar 1st post..]

Dear Gary and Becca, 

Yesterday,  we met your darling daughter and her companion in the MTC.  We also saw them tonight at a fireside. 

We are will be serving at Church Headquarters, but we served our first in Mongolia from 2009 to 2011. 

Jennifer looked adorable and happy. She radiates the light of the gospel! She was really excited when we told her that we would [the email ended here]

Love, 

Elder and Sister Lasson 

Half-Transfers

сайн байн уу миний гэр ьүл ьас найзууд!! (Google translation: Friends often, as my family)

Last week we had to say goodbye to our good friends the Cambodians and Vietnamese. Good luck to them in the field, we love you and miss you! So now with the old Thai's gone, we are now the oldest group in our zone, and also in the MTC. We welcomed in a new group of Thai's including 2 Malay and an Indo. Our branch is very small and cozy now! 

Yesterday we were eating our dinner and out of nowhere a senior couple came up right close to my face and pushed my hair aside to look at my name tag. Then her face broke into a huge grin and she said "сайн байн уу!! I've been looking for you all day!" Turns out they served as a couple  in Mongolia 2010-2011, and are now serving again in Salt Lake! They were so excited to find the Mongolians, because they loved their mission there so much. Another witness that the people there are the kindest in the world, and that we will love the country with all our heart. 

These last couple weeks we are doing "half-transfers" meaning we're kind of splits for certain teaching appointments. Sister Guild and I are companions for a couple investigators and also TRC. Besides that we stay with our normal companion. I really enjoyed teaching with Sister Guild this week. It was interesting to try studying and preparing with someone new, but also really good because we'll be getting new companions all the time over the next 16 months! We taught well together, and were able to help each other fill gaps where our language slipped. Last night we did another Skype TRC lesson, and the sister we were talking to in Mongolia spoke SO FAST. Even one of our teachers came over during our lesson and said "Goldenflower (her English translated name-I don't remember her Mongolian name) you are speaking very fast! Slow down!" She laughed and said sorry, but then didn't really slow down at all, so we pretty much didn't understand a word of what she said the entire lesson. So that was a great taste of what we'll be getting ourselves into in 2 weeks!

Enjoying some nice rays at our temple walk! Being outside is the best!!

Another really interesting teaching experience we had this week was with our less-active member, мягмардорж (pronounced Meyigmardorj). We've been meeting with him for several weeks now, and it has been a really testing experience for me. He served a mission, and has told us many times that his mission was the happiest time of his life, and yet now he doesn't want to go to church and he says the spirit makes him feel guilty. This was so frustrating for me. Each time we met with him I only felt myself getting angry and impatient, and I was always very shaken up after each meeting. This week I made a point to pray specifically for мягмардорж, and to feel more sensitivity and love for him. Yesterday when we met, we did not really prepare a specific lesson, but instead an idea, then went to our appointment dependent on the spirit helping us. Once again, before we went in I could already feel that frustration building up. But the minute we entered, I felt the spirit take over my heart I wanted nothing more than to help this man, and I wanted nothing more than for him to recognize the spirit that I get to feel every day. I so wanted him to be happy and to feel how much God loved him. I wanted him to come back to church. When I looked at his face and saw sadness in his eyes, it made me want to cry. We somehow got through the lesson begging him to not give up, bearing our testimonies and praying that the Lord would prepare a way for him to come to church. 

After our meeting, our teacher told us that was the last time we would teach мягмардорж. I don't know why this surprised me as much as it did. If he would have told us that last week was our last meeting, I would have said hallelujah. But now I was only broken-hearted. Because of мягмардорж I can feel the Lord changing things inside me. I can see the Lord repairing my desires and outlook of being a missionary. Although this has been a very hard thing for me to experience, I'm so grateful for it. 

Just so you know, because we'll be at the ELC next week, our P-day is changing to Saturdays for the last 2 weeks... So we kind of get 2 P-days this week! Cool.  

Thank you all for the love and prayers- we need every last one of them. 

Love you and miss you, 

Хайртаи, 

Ханьсэн Эгч

Dad, 

I'm grateful for all wonderful experiences you're having in the temple. When you told me about sealing Alice Emily Boyce I almost got a little emotional- I don't really know why I feel I bit of connection to her, but I'm so happy all her temple work is complete. When you said you thought of me as well it made me grateful to have an awesome dad who would give the shirt off his back to anyone who needed it. I love you a lot. 

Yet another Testimony of the Power of Music

A really cool thing happened this week! Last week, Sister Bottorff and I auditioned to sing the duet "Coming Home" for one of the devotionals at the MTC. We were asked to sing for the missionary departing devotional on Sunday for those missionaries who are leaving the MTC this week. It was so cool! The spirit filled the whole room.

Hansen - Bottorff

After we finished, because we are not departing this week, we snuck out the side door so we could go to choir. Sister Bertasso (2nd counselor of the MTC presidency wife) met us in the hall. We expected her to just thank us and send us on our way, but she surprised us instead! She said "President Burgess (MTC president) has never done this before..." she went on to say that as soon as we started singing, he leaned over and said that we have to sing at the MTC devotional tonight. She tried to argue saying we hadn't done a sound check, the media people aren't prepared for it, etc. He said, doesn't matter, they have to sing at the devotional tonight. We were speechless! So we did, that very same night performed "Coming Home" for the entire MTC, and what a wonderful experience it was. Yet another testimony of the power of music. The following day at lunch, an older man came up to us at lunch and said "I am the Senior missionary coordinator for the MTC, and I have been to every devotional, and last night was the best I've ever heard." Thank you so much.

This is a photo in a hallway that we love, a missionary in Mongolia surrounded by little Mongolian children. Taken in 1999 I think....

We also got our new name tags this week! Our MTC name tags our last names are in English, but on our new ones they are in Cyrillic so the Mongolians can read it. Pretty cool!

So fun to see Soeur Jackson (from Nevada, headed to Paris) at the MTC! (Our dads are SCUBA buddies)

We also began our ESL teacher training (English as a second language). We'll be doing online courses for the next 2 weeks, then our last week in the MTC we will be over the ELC evaluating other teachers and teaching our own classes. We are expected to be the best English teachers in Mongolia. Because of us, we are giving these people in Mongolia the opportunity to have a better life. Mongolia is such a unique mission because it is the only one in the world where teaching English is actually part of our mission call. The more I learn about it, the more I can see the Lord working in all of the little details.

Here's a snippet from my study journal last week: Ether 12:4. The waters of the world are deep and turbulent. The only way for us to not drown in it's depths is to have a firm Hope in Christ. To have hope that this life will get better, no matter how harsh the storm.
If I have learned anything in the MTC it is that Satan targets our vulnerabilities, or the "chinks in our armour" so to speak. But with Jesus Christ as our chain mail, our anchor in the hurricane, we can overcome all the sad and hard things of the world. We can even overcome Satan. (He doesn't even have a body, how much power can he actually have?)

I was reading back through my journal from my first couple weeks at the MTC, and found this little doodle on the bottom of a page. I remember this being a particularly rough day, and feeling quite low, and thinking to myself, "Ok God, I'm all in now. Do with me what you will. I'll just move my feet to wherever you say. I'm yours."

I forgot to tell you about the First Vision thing. Our teachers challenges us 2 Wednesdays ago to have it memorized by the next Wednesday. Well, I worked hard and had the whole thing memorized on Sunday! Then I put it into action and used it during a lesson with an investigator that week. It was awesome to be able to say it to them instead of having them read out of a pamphlet. Really cool experience.

This is for my best friend Rachel Hogan!! It says "Return with Happiness" (because I don't know how to say honor...) Sister Hogan, I love you!!

Thanks for all the love and prayers,


Хайртаи,
Ханьсэн Эгч

^--turns out I've been spelling my own name wrong this whole time. I found that out when I got my new name tag. Mongolian is hard. But also cool.

Last temple walk with all the Sisters in our zone. The Cambodians left early Monday morning, and we already miss them. Left to right: Woon, Powell (Thailand) Olsen (Mongolia) Hall, Chantacoon, Lines (Cambodia) Guild, Bottorff (Mongolia) Hoeft (Thailand) yours truly, Yang (Thailand) Gallahad (Cambodia). 

I was born in the MTC

For all ya'll normal people out there, here's a poem completely unrelated to missionary work to celebrate valentines day... Say it out loud ok??

When you're kissing with your hunny

and your nose gets kind of runny

you think it's pretty funny

but it's not.

You're welcome.

Also, newest discovery of this week... NYQUIL PILLS EXIST?!? I've been drinking that rat nasty vomit juice my entire life and I could've just popped a pill?! Thanks to nobody for telling me about that. 

Writing out Joseph Smith's First Vision from memory

This week felt like 30 years. I might have actually been born in the MTC, I'm not really sure at this point. Elder Heacock got really sick, and because we live in a cesspool I also got really sick, which means everyone else will also probably get really sick. There were days this week that I literally had to make goals just to make it to the next meal. "If I can make it 45 more minutes, then I will only have 45 more minutes until dinner." Luckily today is P-day so hopefully I will be able to recoup a bit and be able to work harder next week.

Sunday was awesome. I learned an incredibly cool thing about the hymn "Nearer My God to Thee" but I don't really want to type it so ask me about it when I get home and I'll tell you. There are also rumors that our guest speaker for the devotional tonight is Elder Rasband, which would be SO SWEET, so you'll have to wait until next week to hear if those rumors are true.

The Sisters headed for Mongolia (pic stolen from Sister Olsen's blog) Bottorff, Hansen, Guild, Olsen

Here's a really cool quote from President Hunter out of Preach my Gospel:"If prayer is only a spasmodic cry at the time of crisis, then it is utterly selfish, and we come to think of God as a repairman or a service agency to help us only in our emergencies..."   We went on to talk about

how when we pray we need to have an open conversation with our Father, instead of approaching prayer as if we're leaving a voicemail and saying "Call back when you can".

I have an amazing amount of spiritual insight and wonderful things that I've learned here at the MTC, but I just don't really know how to write them in emails. So just know that things are well, and I don't want you to think that I'm not taking things seriously. It's been a bit of an off week, being sick and all, but I'm plugging through. Mongolian is still incredibly difficult, but I memorized the first vision this week, so in a month if I can't say anything else, at least I'll be able to say that. I'm grateful for my companion, who has put up with my unpleasantness this week, and is totally ok with the fact that I usually don't want to have a conversation until after breakfast. (6:30 doesn't get any easier) The Lord keeps blessing us. My testimony and love for Jesus Christ deepens every day.

My face looks bloated because I've blown my nose about 5000 times

March 17 is still the prospective departure date. We don't begin our English training until March 1st. We will do 15 hours of online, then we will go to the ELC to do live practicums. 

I'm glad you were able to go to Rachel Newbold's homecoming- she looks great. You all look great! Also, welcome home to my best friend Soeur Rachel Hogan this week from Paris. You are such a light and I love you and wish I could be there.

Хаиртаи,

Ханисэн Эгч

Half way done at the MTC

Yeah, I am about half way done at the MTC. It's strange how the time passes here. The most common phrase around here is "the days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days" but after about a month the days still feel like weeks but the weeks also kind of feel like years. But that might just be me. I've always had a tendency to get antsy when I stay in one place for too long.

The 4 headed for Mongolia: Guild, Bottorff, Hansen, Olsen (pic borrowed from Olsen blog)

You are well aware that stubbornness and pride runs strong in the Hansen blood. We had a lesson last week on recognizing our Laman-like attributes, and fixing them and becoming more like Nephi. I kind of got called out, which at the time didn't feel good, but turned out to be exactly what I needed to kick my pride to the curb. 

Sister Johnson (from our ward) and me at the Temple

Dad, you've been asking about Sister Guild. She's awesome. She from Evanston, Wyoming, comes from a big ranching family. She graduated from a community college in Wyoming, and hopes to come to Utah State after her mission! She played volleyball in high school and it's super fun to play with her during our gym time. She is one of the kindest people I've ever met! We all get along so well.

Here is a picture of me and all my books

As far as the visas go, yes, we have already been assigned our sponsors, although we don't know what they are yet. The guy that's in charge of that came and talked to us 2 or 3 weeks ago, and said we'd be getting that information soon... but that was 2 or 3 weeks ago, so I don't know what he meant by "soon". So we're all anxiously waiting to hear where we will be teaching in Mongolia.

Were you able to go see Rachel Newbold? That is so exciting that she is home! 

Sister Hansen

Our days go something like this.

I imagine you all think that I am living an incredible adventure here on my mission, but in all honesty our days go a little something like this:

Wake up

Eat

Study

Eat

Study

Eat

Study

Sleep

Repeat

That about sums it up!

Sister Guild and I in our Mongolia coats on our Sunday temple walk

Ok, I mean, we do a little bit more than that. Like, shower and teach and build abstract art out of our dirty dishes and silverware. 

Actually, this week was Guild Эгч birthday, and thanks to mom's perfectly timed package, we had a coffee cake to celebrate! I sang her the family birthday song too,and she loved it :) 

We also had to say goodbye to our dear friend's the Thai's. About half our zone did their time and said "so-long" to the MTC at 2:30 Monday morning. It was so sad and exciting at the same time, and weird to think that that will be us in a few short weeks. We will be getting a new delivery of about 10 Thai missionaries, along with a Malay and an Indonesian within the next month. So now it's our job to welcome them and show them the ropes of the MTC, instead of the other way around! Our zone is very different and special because each district is learning such a difficult language. Our zone consists of all the weird Asian languages that people don't really ever think of, like Cambodian, Laotian, Vietnamese, Malay, etc. We really all lean on each other for support and have become very close friends. 

I was so happy to get this letter from my most favorite Hogan's!! Thank you all, and I love you!

This is something from like my first week at the MTC that I forgot to tell you about. When Neil L. Anderson was here speaking at a devotional, he was telling about the " A Savior Is Born" campaign video that was shared worldwide. He told us that the video was viewed by 54.5 million people. The language it was most viewed in was Spanish, at 28 million views. He went on to list the other highest ranking languages the video was viewed at. Would anyone ever guess that the 5th language most viewed was Mongolian!! What. My companion turned to me and said "Our people are prepared!!" Tender mercies. I don't know how that is even possible, where there are only 3 million people total in Mongolia, and probably less than half have access to the internet. The Lord works in mysterious ways.

On the topic of Mongolia, the people have been praying fervently for a new stake in Mongolia. There is currently only one, but they are so close to having another, and this is very important to the church and the people. If there is 2 or 3 more stakes, it may even be a possibility for a temple to be built someday. Can you imagine all the blessings this would bring to that country? God already has a very special place in his heart for Mongolia. 

Have a great week, ya'll.

D&C 84:88

бака,

Хаиртаи, 

Ханисэн Эгч

Yes, Sister Bottorff and I have been hosting (meeting new missionaries at the curb) the last couple weeks, and it is so fun! Unfortunately we were not asked to this week, so I won't be welcoming Sister Johnson, but I'll be sure to find her at meals or something.

I met a few missionaries on Sunday that will be serving in Logan! They'll be there next week, so I gave them a list of all my friends to find and say hello to :) Their names are Elders West, Jones, and Murphey. If you happen to run into them sometime tell them I say hi! They'll still be there when I get home actually so I'm sure I'll meet them again someday.

Dad, thanks for the temple experience. That was wonderful. We are going today and I get to do the work for Alice Boyce, who I have done her baptism, confirmation, initiatory, and now endowment! I'll be very excited to meet her someday.

This is Sister Hoeft in my zone. She is from San Francisco serving in Thailand and she is dating Nick Gruniger.

There's no "You have unlocked the 'GIFT OF TONGUES' power-up!"

Саин баинуу!!

Happy birthday to Mom on Sunday! Hope you had a good one. Each Sunday they have creamery ice cream at the MTC, so I ate some ice cream in your honor.

Last week was very challenging. Because we are now 3 weeks in, we all feel like we should be speaking a lot more Mongolian, but we're not in a game. There's no "You found the '3 week checkpoint' you have unlocked the 'GIFT OF TONGUES' power-up!". And there's no cool sound effects. Disregarding the ones that I make involuntarily. The language classes move forward and we feel like we are staying stagnant with our abilities, and can't keep up.

We now have 2 investigators- бипгуун and ганбаатар. We switch off teaching them every other day. Then yesterday, one of our teachers pulled Bottorff Эгч and I aside and said that his boss (the language manager guy) asked us to teach him as an investigator as well. We don't know why. So now we essentially have 3 investigators. Luckily, we will be teaching this new one in English. It actually will be the first lesson we've ever given in English. We've only ever given Mongolian lessons. It will be interesting to see how it goes, because up to this point we've been terrified of being asked questions, because we don't have the skills to answer. But now, if he asks a questions, we can actually have a real discussion and not read from a script or flip through a dictionary for 5 minutes. So hopefully, we will be able to really teach by the spirit, as we have been praying to do so since we've arrived.

Hansen, Bottorff, Olsen, Guild, Heacock, Urness

Saturday, Bottorff Эгч and I were asked last minute to do a musical number for sacrament meeting the next day, but the MTC music library was closed, and we didn't have anything prepared, so I did a piano solo of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" that I had brought with me. I didn't have any time to play it before hand, so it was essentially sight-read, but it went very well. I was grateful to play the piano again, because I feel the spirit more through music then anything else. I don't know if anyone else felt it, but it was a good boost that I needed for the new week. 

Here's a quote in my notebook from Janice Kapp Perry last week :"Music helps you learn things very quickly that otherwise might take a long time to learn. 

Something about putting the words to music pushes it deeper into your heart and has more staying power."

Thank you for the letters and the love.

Хаиртаи,

Ханисэн Эгч

Happy Birthday Mom

[Paper Letter mailed 1/20, received 1/23]
[Posted by Jennifer's mom.We received a handwritten letter (YAY!) from Jennifer on Saturday, for my birthday. A great gift! Just wanted to share a few things that she had in that letter.]

Dear Mom,

 Thank you for sending so many letters - sometimes I get so divulged in what I am doing I forget  people have lives outside of the MTC. It's a good reminder that there are real people that care about me!

So here's a funny story - my district was all joking around, and we decided we are going to convert the whole country of Mongolia by convincing them that their flag represents the Plan of Salvation.
Let me Clarify:

Crazy stuff, eh?

Anyway, hope all is well at home & you have a great birthday! xoxo

2 Nephi 4:26-30
1 Peter 4:12-14

The MTC is like drinking from a Fire Hydrant

"The first week at the MTC is kind of like drinking out of a fire hydrant. You get some water, but mostly just get hit in the face."

Me and my companion Sister Bottorff

Sometimes I get really discouraged and frustrated that I'm going to be in the MTC for so long, because it is really hard. Like, actually really hard. But then I sit back and think of why it is a blessing. So here are some reasons why I am grateful to be in the MTC for 10 weeks. 

1) Mongolian is so dang, freaking difficult. I'm going to make a lot of mistakes, so why not get my big ones out of the way now?

2) My district has been handpicked from the "best-people-in-the-world" bucket of names. Each come from a completely different background and contributes something very special to our group. We are all best friends and will have the next 8 weeks to strengthen and support each other.

Back Row: Bottorff, Hansen, Garcia, Cowles, Heacock, Wilding, Urness
Front Row: Olsen, Guild, ?(maybe teacher)

3) Each Sunday and Tuesday we have devotionals with special guest speakers who are often general authorities or other prominent church leader. For those missionaries speaking English or a native language, they're in and out of here in 10 days days. They're gonna miss out a lot of good stuff. Also, we figure being in Mongolia will be kind of like a drought in that sense, so we're trying to absorb as much here as we can. 

4) JANICE KAPP PERRY, YA'LL. You know, the music legend of the mormon world? She led the entire MTC in a medley of her most popular primary songs, and the spirit in that room was nearly tangible. Elder Urness is a convert, and he did not grow up singing those songs, so he didn't know any of the words. But he felt the power of music and wept the whole time. The simplicity and profoundness of the children's songs have impacted me since I was a sunbeam, and it was such a blessing and tender mercy to hear Sister Perry speak. 

5)While we're on the topic of music, I want you to imagine a room. In that room is every MTC president from around the world and their wives. Also in that room is Neil L. Anderson, and apostle of God. The rest of the room is packed to the brim with hundreds of missionaries. Ok, good. Now imagine all those people singing "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go" at the top of their lungs. Yeah, I lived that. 

Sisters learning Mongolian: Bottorff, Hansen, Olsen, Guild

So, second week of the MTC was good. I can comfortably offer a simple prayer and testimony in Mongolian. We're pretty much teaching every day at this point, so it really forces us to memorize a lot. 

Here's a Jen story that anyone who knows me well might enjoy:

This morning in the shower, I am happily unaware that I am singing the Jurassic Park theme song for all to hear, then was awakened from my la la land when I noticed that I was trying to make dinosaur noises and was more successfully sounding like Chewbacca. I hope everyone else showering loved it. 

Есүс Христ бол аврагч гэтгийг би мэдэн. [from Jen's father: Google translation is: "Jesus Christ is the Savior, knowing I getgiig", which I think means: "I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior."]

I would write more but that took me like 10 years to figure out where all the letters were on an English keyboard. 

Love, 

Ханисэн Эгч

Q/A:Well Dad, I'll try to answer some of your questions, but you sure ask a lot of them.

Here's a bit of info on the other missionaries in my district. Elder Cowles (pronounced Coles) and Elder Urness are both converts within the last 2 years. They're so awesome. Elder Urness is our district leader. You asked who has the most experience with other languages. Nobody, really. Elder Garcia and Sister Olsen know a bit of Spanish. Elder Heacock and Elder Cowles learned the cyrillic alphabet before they came to the MTC, so they had that advantage the first day. But everyone is pretty much on an even playing field.

Week One

I've nearly completed my first week at the MTC. The spirit is very strong here. In our first orientation meeting thing, we sang "Bring the World His Truth" from the children's songbook, but the last words were changed to "We are as the army of Helamen, we have been taught in our youth, and we ARE NOW the Lord's missionaries to bring the world His truth." It was very neat.

My companion Sister Bottorff

As you know, before I entered the MTC we met Sister Bottorff at Zupas during lunch. Little did we know that we would be companions for the next 9 weeks, as well as best friends. I have a testimony that our companionships are inspired, because neither of us would have made it through this first week without each other. We get along so well, and have to laugh all the time, because if we weren't laughing we'd probably be crying because Mongolian is so difficult.

We arrived at the MTC on Wednesday and immediately began language class. We taught our first investigator on Friday in Mongolian. Before we went in to teach our lesson, Sister Bottorff and I were still using our flashcards to learn the alphabet. For lack of time, it was a train wreck. Friday was very discouraging. Mongolian is so extremely difficult and we practice and study for hours and hours and hours a day, it is so exhausting. I'll say a sentence 100 times then not remember how to say it 2 minutes later. Then each morning when we wake up it is nearly impossible to recall what we learned the previous day. We've quickly realized that we will never make it without help from the Savior.

Elders: Wilding, Urness, Cowles, Garcia, Heacock,
Sisters: Olsen, Guild, Bottorff, Hansen

We taught our second lesson the next day. (I would tell you our investigators name, but it is in Mongolian, and I can't spell it in English, and I don't know how to type in cyrillic.... but it sounds like Gerscthaye, sorry you're just gonna have to use your imagination) We still knew very little, and had a very limited vocabulary, but we taught of families and also prayer. We taught her how to pray, then I had the impression to sing the primary song "I pray in Faith" that tells us how to pray. We sang it in English, but changed the words "in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen" to Mongolian. The Spirit was so strong in that classroom! She began to cry and said thank you, thank you. Another testimony of the power of music. Even though words are not understood, the spirit can always teach through music. I'm so grateful 

Besides that, things are well. Our district is amazing. There are 9 of us- 4 Sisters and 5 Elders. We have all become very good friends, and need each other because we are all struggling through Mongolian together.

Our written prayer in Mongolian

  Funny story, we were in a class with lots of other missionaries, and a sister not in our zone made a comment that "language class is hard, but for the most part you can understand what the teachers are trying to tell you." Our district all looked at each other and said, "She's learning Spanish."

Hahaha yeah. Try sitting in Mongolian for an hour, then see if you understand what they're trying to tell you.

We have 3 teachers- Boyd Ax (brother) Higgs Ax, and Standley Ax. They all are previous Mongolian missionaries. Higgs and Standley were companions, and just got home in July.

In our zone we have missionaries learning Thai, Mong, Laus (spelling?) Cambodian, and Vietnamese. I don't know if you heard, but since I've been in the MTC they've opened a new mission in Vietnam. Very exciting.

Sunday was amazing and so needed. We were able to take a break from studying and focus on feeling the spirit. We realized that because we have been so overwhelmed and stressed with the language, we have kind of been missing out the spiritual edification that the MTC offers. We are now trying to set goals to help make the two more equal. But Sunday, Sister Bottorff and I sang with the MTC choir, and it was wonderful. The director is awesome. He started by telling us a story of a date that his daughter went on, then said "I just like talking about dating to people who can't." He's a huge comedian, and really lightened the mood in the room. But we sang Joseph Smith's First Prayer, and he bore a powerful testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon.

   

We get to go to the temple today, and we are so beyond excited. It is so needed. Hope I answered some of your questions, and hope everything is well at home.

I know that God is more involved then we realize, and he is closer than we think. Even though that is hard to remember sometimes.

Until next time....

Love, Sister Hansen

New Mission President Announced

[Posted by Jennifer's father]

LDS Church announces 2016 mission president assignments 

(Effective July 2016)

Jeffrey C. Harper and his wife Kim were just serving in the Mongolia Mission until late 2015 and the missionaries loved them. They are from Rupert/Paul Idaho.

Here is a picture of the Harpers in Mongolia with their English Sponsor (from Sister Hartley's Pikore page).

CLICK HERE for full article from Deseret News

MTC after 1 Day

1/7/16 (recieved letter 1/11/16)

Dear Family,

I literally have 10 minutes to write this letter, but our Branch President said we have to write home tonight saying we are safe & healthy & happy.

Today was our first full day at the MTC. My district is wonderful. Mongolian is freaking hard. Tomorrow we are expected to teach a real life investigator the first lesson in Mongolian. She doesn't speak English. Today I learned the alphabet. This'll be great.

There are 9 of us in our district - 4 sisters & 5 elders. Each of us come from a very different backgrounds & experiences - 2 Elders are converts in the last 2 years. Only 2 missionaries are under the age of 20. We are all becoming great friends. Bottorff and I just laugh constantly because we don't know what else to do.

Here is what my name tag looks like:

Much love,
Sister Hansen

MTC Drop off

[Posted by Jennifer's father]

Since the farewell, Jen has been way ready to go. The last 10 days were a chore to get her to finish her shopping or pack her bags. She just wanted to go.

The actual drop off was less traumatic than expected. The family shed a few tears, but not Jen. She was smiling and ready to escape her helicopter parents.





It was raining at the Provo temple, so it forced us to hurry and take a few pics, and get back in the car. No time for long farewells.

Before the temple, we stopped to eat at Zupa's. We had no idea it was the official missionary luncheon spot. There were like 8 families eating last meals with their missionary. We asked a few where they were going, and SURPRISE, one sister was going to Mongolia. She will be in Jen's group. Her name is Sister Bottorff from Colorado. Tender mercy. Even Jen was excited about that.

Finally, all the prep is over and she is a missionary. She will do great.