Domnul să te aibă-n grija Sa

 Bună bună!!!

Highlights:

- Member visit with Sora Banița. She's literally my favorite. Last week she sat next to me on the stand because we were both giving talks and whispered to me that we needed to come over. We had homemade Shaorma and a dish of her own creation, Hot Ice cream. It was divine 😋 

- We had an inactive member, Sora Letinu, come to church last Sunday, so we decided to go visit her with the Frandsens. 

- District activity!! We had the missionaries from Brașov come down to Ploiești! It was super fun! We did morning sport all together (soccer!!) Then we helped clean up a graveyard, had lunch, district council, finding and then dinner!! 

- During the finding, I went with Sora Baril to try and visit an inactive member. The Elders had talked to her and she was wanting/expecting us, but she wasn't home. But her neighbor, Mihaela, was and she actually asked us about the Book of Mormon. So we shared it with her, got her number and invited her to church! 

- Met up with Cristina!! We talked with her about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We shared first about faith and repentance. We then told her we had already seen her apply these principles. It has been so cool to see the change in her these last few weeks. Then we talked about baptism, the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. We shared with her that baptism is not some one time grand event, or something we have to be perfect to receive. Rather baptismal covenants and the gift of the holy ghost are the tools you use to become better and better each day. We then told her that we know she is prepared for baptism. This is the next step for her. We then invited her to consider moving up her baptismal date from October 30th. She was really excited and told us she would pray about it. 

- Got to also visit Sora Șimon!! She was admit to have us over this week, and it was a great visit!

Funny: 

-At games night Teo went crazy here's his convo with Sora McCombs...

Teo: McCombs would you rather eat a pig baby or baby matter? 

McCombs: What??! I don't understand what your trying to say.

Teo: ohhh wait. McCombs would you rather eat a pig baby or a matter baby.

McCombs: What's a matter baby?

Teo: I don't know what's the matter with you baby

We all lost it. 😂

Gând Spiritual: 

Well most of you probably know, but for those who don't, this was my last full week in Romania!! This Wednesday I will be flying home!! 

You always hear the cliche that missions fly,  I rolled my eyes at it, but now here we are and I can't believe it. 

So to close I feel I share the similar sentiments as Ammon when he said in Alma 26

11) But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.

12) Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

I am so thankful for my mission and the time I have been able to serve with the Lord here in Romania. I know that He has strengthened me and guided me to do this work. I am so grateful for Him and the joy I have been able to feel in being an instrument in His hands. 

I'm also so grateful for the love I've felt and feel for these beautiful people. Growing up I always remember watching "The Other Side of Heaven", and the scene when Elder Groberg leaves, and everyone sings, "God be with you till we meet again". It makes me tear up everytime. Before serving a mission I wondered if I would ever have experience like that. Loving a place and people that much so far away from home. 

Well yesterday the announced the closing hymn was "Domnul să te aibă-n grija Sa". I started crying before we even got through the intro. I love the people of România, and I will be forever grateful for my mission and all those I've met along the way!

Thank you all for your love and support! And for following along with all my adventures!! It means the world to me and I am so excited to see you soon!! 

Vă iubesc din toată inima mea!!

-Sora Hansen

Friends, storms, and little miracles

 Bună bună!!

Highlights:

-We have a new friend!! Diana! We actually met her about a month ago but have now been able to go visit her at work. We shared the book of mormon and ideas on how to study it! During one of our lessons her mom and sister came in too, so we got to meet them too!

-Had an exchange this week în Iași!! I got to be with the one and only Sora Reynolds!! The day was so awesome. Last year at this time we were comps so it was cool to see how much we've grown and learned în a year!! (Its for real, we saw those domnuls sitting on the benches and just walked right on by with just a "bună ziua!". Progress.) But of course a Sora Hansen/Sora Rey Rey day would not be complete without a little crazy... 😉  We decided to head out to this little town outside of Iași to visit a referral and her family. We get an uber after the sun had just been beating down on us all day, and start driving. Soon dark clouds form and it starts sprinkling, then raining, then pouring, then dumping buckets and then hailing!! After a 30 minute ride we step out into the middle of nowhere, ankle deep in puddles, and we have no clue if we are in the right place. But luckily our friend Nicoleta came out and met us, and then we followed her into her tin roof house to teach her and her family. The storm continued and it was hard to hear but we were still able to share the Book of Mormon with the sweet family. All the kids gathered around and had so many questions... so awesome. Then we may have barely missed the bus back (despite being 10 minutes early for it) and almost didn't have enough signal to get an uber back. But luckily God is good and we didn't have to walk! ☺️

-Lets just say... I have the best friend ever, on a whim she decided make a stop in Romania on her trip through Europe, and I got permission to see her!! Such a good day 😁(shaorma+Roz+Jesus=best day ever)

-Visited our cute member Sora Matei this week, and helped the Frandsens record her conversion story. She is an amazing lady. At the end we asked her what keeps her going to church after all this time, she said that she goes for herself and her relationship with God. Nothing anyone else does could keep her from going. Such a stellar member. I just love her 🥰

-Gave a talk on Sunday and it went well!! I was trying all week to write and nothing seemed to be connecting. But then miraculously Sunday morning it all the pieces i had written came together. So grateful for the spirit #savedmybuttonceagain

-Miracle!! On Sunday we went and heart attacked a member who for family reasons hasn't been able to come to church too much. We didn't think much of it, just a few pieces of heart shaped paper taped to her door... but then today the Elders ran into her son (an inactive) on the street. He told them that someone had heart attacked his mom and that it had made her so happy. He said that this was a reminder to him that he needs to go back to church. Super cool.

Not-so-Highlights:

- Didn't get to meet up with either of our progressing friends this week

Funny:

-For games night this week we had a movie night!! So we watched Monsters Inc (dubbed in romanian). One of our members, Alex, absolutely loved the movie and died laughing multiple times over the jokes, and Mike Wazowski. He was the funniest part of the show 😂

Gând Spiritual:

"The intent of the Father’s great plan of happiness is your happiness, right here, right now, and in the eternities."

-Elder Patrick Kearon

I'm not sure if I've already shared this or not, but it goes along with my talk this week. One thing that I've come to realize on my mission is this truth. We are meant to enjoy the blessings of the gospel right now!!! We don't have to wait until eternity to find the joy, peace and rest we need. These things are available through our covenants, today!!

Vă Iubesc,

Sora Hansen

Hostages

 Bună bună!!

Highlights:

- Cristina!! We had a few lessons with Cristina this week and it has been so awesome!! She has started reading the BOM a lot, and came to one of our lessons and told us she knew it was true 😁🔥 She also has carried the BOM everywhere she goes and told about and experience she had sharing it with someone she was sitting by at the bus stop!!?! Me and Sora McCombs were freaking out cause she's literally already a missionary!! She is progressing super well but please continue to keep her in your prayers!! 

- On Saturday we had an awesome branch activity, where we all loaded up into the bus and went to the woods to hangout and have a barbecue. It was so fun to see everyone and Cristina came too and talked with all the members!! So awesome!!

- We have had a hard time meeting up with Ioana lately, but we were able to have a lesson with her and it was so spirit filled. I love teaching Ioana because she is here for all the right reasons and just wants to hear what we have to say. We also continued to talk to her about baptism and she still needs time, but already has a goal to go to the temple!! We are so excited for her! 

Funny:

- We visited a member this week and I didn't know if we were ever gonna be let back out 😬🫣😱 It was a surprise visit and we said we only had 30 minutes but she did all she could to keep us there. Massive pieces of rum cake, orange soda filled to the brim, and about 30 rants later we were able to share one short thought and make it out alive. She super awesome though so we'll have to plan another visit with more time next time.

Gând Spiritual:

"To do one’s best in the face of the commonplace struggles of life, and possibly in the face of failures, and to continue to endure and persevere with the ongoing difficulties of life—when those struggles and tasks contribute to the progress and happiness of others and the eternal salvation of one’s self—this is true greatness" 

-President Howard W Hunter

Vă iubesc!!

Sora Hansen

(Also finally got some zone conference pics!!)

July 15, 2024

Bună Bună!!

Highlights:

- Had zone conference this week and it was awesome!! We went to Brașov and we did zone conference one day and did service the next. The missionaries in my zone are so awesome and it was such a party with them 🥳🥳

- MIRACLE!! So our member offered to drive our friend, Cristina to church. But then when Sunday morning rolled around Cristina was nowhere to be found and wouldn't answer any calls. So our member just came to church without her. But then she called him so he went all the way back to get her and bring her to church. Cristina absolutely loved church!! After we had a lesson with her and our member and... we set a baptismal date!! She told us she really wants to make a covenant with God. So cool!! Her date is October 30th, so please pray for Cristina!!

Funny:

- We were walking outside of our apartment building and I hear this swooping sound. All of sudden I get hit in the head with this cardboard yogurt package??? Someone from the apartment block must of thought I looked like the trash can?? 🤷‍♀️🗑

Gând Spiritual:

-2 Nephi 27:26 Therefore, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, yea, a marvelous work and a wonder, for the wisdom of their wise and learned shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent shall be hid.

Cristina shared this with us in our lesson today. So grateful to be part of this great work. 

Vă iubesc!!

Sora Hansen

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