I honestly don't know where even to start describing this week

Well, I honestly don't know where even to start describing this week. Right now I'm pooped. Sister Wilcox and I just got back to UB a couple hours ago from our weekend in Choibalsan.

Choibalsan

It was awesome. I wish I could just tell you all about it and all the things we experienced there, but it would take way too long to write, so I'll just tell you in a couple weeks. But it was hard and humbling and that we even got to go was a huge miracle which is also a story I'll tell you about later. Also my companion is the queen of taking pictures so we have tons and tons.

Sister Wilcox and I also went to an incredible song and dance concert that almost made me cry (almost). It was so amazing and it was like my whole mission was crashing down on me. I love Mongolia and this gospel so much. Sorry I just can't even adequately describe the things I'm feeling and thinking right now. Go ahead and just enjoy the pictures this week and I'll see you soon.

DOUBLE RAINBOW!!

Chinggis Khann

Tree of Life?

Practicing for the Naadam Festival, July 11-13

My Last Zone Conference

So many exciting, good things happened this week. My last zone conference was absolutely amazing and incredibly bittersweet. President and Sister Harper gave wonderful trainings on faith and diligence, and the zone leaders (Wilding and Salveson) and Sister Wilcox and focused on ch.7 of PMG "Learning your mission language" and it went very well. Sister Guild, Elder Espinoza, Elder Rodriguez and I all offered our final testimonies. There were a lot of feelings being felt and gratitude in my heart. I really love all those missionaries so much, and they have become my best friends.

My lesson on never giving up - Half Dome Hike in Yosemite

Since I'm currently serving in Sansar . . .

I was also super lucky to go on an STL split with Sister Smoot this week! She has been here for about 2 weeks now, and is doing awesome. Her language is awesome, attitude is awesome, and I loved spending the day with her. We found out that we were at USU at the same time in 2015 and have several mutual friends. She is going to be a bright light and powerful leader in this mission, and a lot of sisters and missionaries are going to look up to her. Since our mission is so small now, she will progress in leadership positions very quickly. But as of now, she's got 2 rock star companions and is loving her experiences in Mongolia.

Sister Smoot - the other Rock Climber

Sister Wilcox and I also met some really adorable Russian girls in front of the Chinggis hotel! We could not communicate with them at all, but somehow through hand signals and some charades we talked for about 20 minutes!! They were awesome. Then I ran into them again with Sister Smoot and they had a translator with them! Turns out they are a Christian choir group traveling around performing and a bunch of different churches and venues! They were like the Sound of Music! Super fun baisan.

The Russians

I also had 2 of my wonderful ward missionaries from Jargalant receive their mission calls this week!! Oyuka will be serving in New Zealand, and Uugantuya is going to Nevada, and they leave in October!! WOW! My ward missionaries becoming full-time missionaries, I'm so happy and excited :)
Sister WIlcox and I will be flying to Choibalson this Friday for a companion exchange with the sisters there. We're so excited! We'll come back Monday, so we will probably email later in the afternoon.

Our Flight Plans

The perks of an STL

Happy Birthday to Sister Bottorff this week! aaand happy farewell to the other Sister Hansen. [Jen's Sister, Allison] So looking forward to hearing that report.

Great talk to study this week- "Overcoming the World" Elder Anderson from last conference.

Hairtai shuu
Sister Hansen

May we all try to serve more and expect less.

I can't believe how fast this week flew. I don't know how another week ended and started so fast.

Tomorrow is my final zone conference and I'm having a lot of weird feelings and I think tomorrow is gonna be very strange. I'll be giving a training on learning your mission language, and plan on incorporating my experience of climbing half dome a few years ago, and how after hiking so long and coming so far, there were some people that stopped on the saddle right before reaching the peak, and it broke my heart. As missionaries, especially at the end of our missions, we can't just stop on the plateau and think that we've made it. We're so close. Just keep working hard for that tiny little last stretch and make it all the way to the top. It's so much better up there.

Flashback to 2013 - Hiking Half Dome

Yesterday at church a whole group of travelers from Utah showed up at church. They were doing the trans-siberian railroad, and came to church on their last day in Mongolia. They were so cool and fun to talk to, and I got to translate for them and they had such a great experience. They introduced themselves in relief society and said really sweet things like wherever they go in the world, even though they don't understand the language, they still feel the same spirit in the church. It's true. I've experiences that in my own travels. Then we were talking and they were asking me about how I was feeling about going home and I honestly told them that's it's gonna be really hard. But, I'll be fine.

Trans -Siberian Travelers

We got to go see the baptism of one of Sister Wilcox's investigators from Unur, and it was a wonderful service. Her whole non-member family attended, and it was a very touching and spiritual experience for all of them. They now have a great example and leader in their family, and hopefully now she can help bring them all into the light of the gospel.

Sister Wilcox and I were studying President Uchtdorf's talk from this last priesthood session titled "The Greatest Among You" which is all about serving without expectations of anything in return. As I thought about it I just couldn't stop thinking about President and Sister Harper. I really don't know how I got so lucky to have the greatest mission president in the world, but they really are the most humble, hard working, honest people I know. I will miss them so much. May we all try to serve more and expect less. 

Have a great week, 

Sister Hansen 

My Sister Allison's Blog

[From Jen's parents]

If you have enjoyed following Jennifer's mission blog, you may want to check out her sister, Allison's blog. Allison leaves on her mission to the California Modesto Mission, July 12th. You can signup for email updates on the right side of her blog.

Click HERE for Allison's Blog.

Sister Allison Hansen

I feel so many good feelings inside of me

Transfers: FINAL ROUND
I am staying in Sansar with Sister Wilcox! She is so great. We have already worked so hard together and I know that it will be an awesome 6 weeks. She brings new ideas to the table that may be just what Sansar needs. I just feel so many good feelings inside of me and really want to use these last 6 weeks to the absolute best of my ability. I really just can't describe it, but I can't believe that this is it. I can't imagine having to tear myself away from this work.

New (and final) companion, Sister Wilcox

I guess other transfer updates: Sister Guild moved to Sukhbaatar with Sister Shreeve AND the newly arrived Sister Smoot! They'll be rolling 3 deep for her last transfer! They'll have so much fun.
Sister Bottorff and Austin are now STL companions in Tuul, Elder Ames became the new zone leader in Enkhtaivan with Elder Cowles, and Elder Salveson is the other new zone leader with Elder Wilding. Elder Bird is our new AP in Selbe with Elder Espinoza.

One way to experience church...

Sister Wilcox and I got to hang out with Sister Olsen her last 2 days in Mongolia, then bring her to the BZ at 5:30 am to see her and Elder Lamb off. Elder Lamb had a baptism scheduled for Saturday, I guess he didn't tell them that he was leaving Friday morning. But when they found out, they changed everything last minute to Thursday night so Elder Lamb could be there and baptize his convert, on his LAST day in Mongolia! That was so awesome. They both were such great missionaries.

Sister Wilcox, Sister Olsen, Sister Hansen

Last...Thursday, maybe? I got a call from Elder Rodriguez who relayed to me this message. He was walking down the road with his companion, then a guy pulled over to them and said "Hey, are you Mormons?"
"Yeah!"
"Like 20 years ago, I was studying in Salt Lake, and I really love and respect the Mormon people. My daughter is about to go to Southern Utah University this fall, and she will have 2 Mormon roommates, and I want her to learn about the church and become a member in America. But I really want her to learn as much about Mormons and the church before she goes."

Well, Elder Rodriguez knew I was from Utah, so he told him a little about me and said we would go and meet with her. Well, we did, and she is amazing. She was so receptive and said things like "This all sounds so familiar to me" and "I'm so relieved that you came" and "I want to be active in church activities before I go to America". The whole thing was just beautiful. Unfortunately, she lives just outside of our area, but she will continue to meet with Sister Bottorff and Austin, but I got her FB info, and promised to connect with her in Utah, and I will definitely make the trip to her baptism!!! That is what you call "one who has been prepared".

Another miracle was when we were moving Sister Guild out, and an old lady stopped us and said "Are you church people? I want to go to church." She lives 4 floors down from us. How convenient! She wants us to come and pick her and her daughter up for church and go together.

THEN we got another referral from the Nalaikh elders of a man who they also thought lived in our area, but he's in BZ. But we met him and he has been reading from the bible on his phone and wants to know more and asked if his whole family can come to church with him and listen to the missionaries.

Ward Mission Leader's mother

See? Things will happen. I figure if we keep passing investigators to other areas, it's gotta come back around and someone will send us some pretty soon, right? Probably.

I'll tell you what, at this time in my mission, I feel a lot of urgency, but no stress. I am completely confident that everything and everyone is exactly where the Lord needs them right now, but there also is a big push for missionaries to put their absolute best foot forward. Maybe that's just me get antsy.
Have a great week,
Sister Hansen

Pouring rain that flooded the streets

Sister Pujee Nyamaa