Hawthorn Week 3

Hola Familia!

Well, this week has been especially tiring. We only get allotted a certain amount of miles on our car every month, and we're low, like really low. And we have to make a few more trips up to the mission home before the end of the month so we've had to be conservative. Conservative in missionary terms means we've been biking pretty much all week, even in the rain.
The pictures are before we headed out into the drizzle to bike. not excited, and then fake excited haha :)  It was cold and wet, but we were able to see so many tender mercies of the lord because we've been on our bikes. For example, one day we had an appointment with an investigator, Fxxxxx, and his daughters, but he called earlier in the afternoon and cancelled.  He forgot that it was his daughter's open house at school. We were sad but still went to the area where he lived and tried so contact some other people. nobody was home. As we were biking down this one street all of the sudden we hear "Sisters!" and we turn around and it was Fxxxxx and his daughters! They were just walking back home after the open house. We pulled over our bikes and talked to them for a few minutes on the street and were able to set a return appointment. We go back and see them tonight. That was definitely a tender mercy of the Lord.

However, with all the tender mercies also comes the stories about how I'm still not horribly coordinated on a bike. In fact, I totally biffed it on my bike. I don't know what happened - just that all of the sudden both my bike and I were on the ground. I was fine, and so was the bike, but it was sure embarrassing. Especially since it was on the sidewalk right by a traffic light, which happened to be red so there were about 15 cars that just sat and watched me fall. But, oh well, I made it through without any scratches or anything. Also, one night when we were coming home all I know was that I went to turn but instead ended up against the wall. and since I didn't want to fall off of my bike again, I just hung there for a minute. Sister Jo turned around because she heard me scream and then just started laughing. and i had to admit. it was pretty funny. ALSO yesterday we biked to church and when we got out (at like, 4:30) it was SUPER windy and I was almost, literally, blown of my bike twice. It's ridiculous. haha So fun bike adventures!

Yesterday, sister Jo and I experience another small miracle. We had an interview with our district leader at the church at 8:00 PM. When we finished it was time to go home for the night. Since we were the last ones to leave the church we had to lock the gate. Which normally is fine. However, last night as we were moving the gate, one of the pins that goes through the gate and into the ground came out of the gate. We tried and tried and tried and just couldn't get the bar to go back in. Like, it was ridiculous. It was cold and dark and we were tired and getting frustrated. While sis Jo was working at it I said a prayer. I knew that, even though it was a trivial thing to ask, it was very important for us to get the bar back in so that we could go home and plan. All I can tell you is that the bar bent and we were able to close the gate and go home. It was a great testimony builder of the power of prayer and how prayer works through our actions.

One last thing before I head off to write my letter to president. Food adventures, I pretty much jinxed myself last Monday saying that I haven't had to eat anything weird or that I didn't like. Well, that night for dinner, we had salmon. yup. It wasn't breaded or anything, just baked. I at my whole piece. It wasn't the worst thing in the world, but it's still definitely not something that I would choose to eat. But I survived! and I think my body went into shock because of all the omega 3's haha.

In the Tongan ward they love to feed us. And, they don't do anything small. There was a relief society birthday activity and it was a feast with music and performances and everything. it was crazy. I ate lamb ;/ which tasted fine but was really fatty. And, my poor body is just not used to all the meat and heavy food. At every activity they have food. No matter what it is. Even if they're just having choir practice, or dance practice - theres food afterwards.  Tor example, when we went to the church for our interview last night, the Tongan ward was having choir practiced. they finished and had like, fried dough (like, donut balls w/out sugar) and this strange herbal hot white coco that tasted like warm liquid fruity pebbles. They gave us missionaries all the leftovers. You don't have to worry on that front, my temporal needs are all taken care of, even if I'm going to gain a million pounds :) haha

As for learning Tongan, it's hard! I can sing in Tongan out of the hymnbook  and I know a couple of words, but beyond that I have no idea. We'll see how that progresses too. Mostly I'm just lost in all of the meetings we go to.

well - that's all for this week! love you all!
Sister Hensley

Athens Week 2

Just so you know - I'm having flashbacks towhen i was in wales...this
keyboardhas a spacebar  thatsticks. so,if it lookslike many of my
words don't have spaces inthem, feel free to edit this before youpost
it so that it's easier for everyone to read. i don't have time to go
back and fix it all for y'all :( sorry!!

Note: It was fun to read this letter all messed up and all but I have cleaned the rest of the letter up.




Taro Root

I've now successfully survived two Sundays in the Tongan ward and two weeks of dinner appointments with them! They are so kind and generous and loving. There is a companionship of elders that also serve in both of our wards, and so we alternate days between the two of us for the two wards for who gets to feed us. On the Tongan days we always know that we'll be fed. Even if we forget to call ahead, they make sure they do something for us. Sometimes they take us out, and other times they make traditional food for us. Tongan food is good but it's all very...heavy! Lots of meat and potatoes. It's hard for me to eat all that I'm given (especially because it's good and I want to eat all of it) but I do my best. Who knows, by the time I come back home you might be surprised at the amount of food that I can eat  The good thing is that I haven't had any really strange food adventures. About the strangest thing that I've eaten here is something called taro - which is like a super dense potato/sweet potato. It's good but boy does it stick to your ribs! My bones are definitely going to be nice and strong by the end of this transfer for sure.

I was sick again this week  I caught a really bad cold and was coughing and sneezing up a storm for about 3 days. I'm feeling much better now, and through it all we were still able to get a lot of good work done. So the week wasn't a total bummer even thought I felt like I was dying pretty much every day. Speaking of which, you never thought that losing one hour of sleep would make such a big difference....well.... the struggle that I had staying awake all day yesterday can certainly attest to the falsehood of that statement. Daylight savings times was a struggle for Sister Jo and I. It's almost akin to having really bad jet lag. Today was better, but having to go out and play frisbee in the dark before the sun has come up is going to take some getting used to for sure.

Because of the illness there's not much to tell for this week! The work is good, we have some great investigators that are progressing, I see tiny miracles in my life every day here and I love my companion! All is well here in Hawthorne!

Much love to everyone,
Sister Hensley

Hello from Athens!

Well!

As you may have figured out by now, yes - I have been transferred to the Athens zone! I'm serving in the city of Hawthorne and I cover 2 wards, an English speaking Ward and a Tongan speaking ward Sunday was a very interesting experience for sure.  First, I'm attend church from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM and then have a correlation meeting from 5:00 to 6 PM. Yeah! That's a lot of church to adjust to! Plus, the Tongan ward is all in Tongan (which I don't speak...surprise!) In the Tongan ward we go to a small English speaking Relief Society class (there's 5 of us) and then to an English speaking Sunday School class (there's about 7 of us because the Elders join us haha) and then we go to Sacrament meeting and get fancy headsets and listen to a translator make it all understnadable English for us. Unfortunately, the headsets weren't working this Sunday so I listened to some very lovely testimonies in Tongan. I'm sure that they were very beautiful, since I felt the Spirit, but oh how I wish I knew who they were or what they actually said. *sigh* But its alright I have 6 whole weeks (at least) to figure it out!

Transfers also means a new companion! yeah! But you'll never guess who it is....that's right! I've been reunited with my mother! Sister Johansen and I are companions again only now we're about 15 minutes north of where we were before isn't that ironic? It's actually super strange because it is almost unheard of to be put back a with former companion, but here we are. Apparently the Lord still thinks that we have things to learn from each other! It's crazy!  It is definitely a blessing for me to only have to adjust to a new area, not to a new companion too. The Lord knows us individually and will meet our needs if we let Him!

Since coming to Hawthorne there have been quite a few....adventures! First of all, our Zone Leaders had their car stolen Thursday! yeah! Apparently they left the keys in the Watts church building on the desk in the clerks office and someone just walked off the street, took the keys and drove off with the car! Yeah! Some people....anyway the only real sad thing about it was that all of our mail for the week was in the trunk! But, we were all relived that nothing else of real value was lost. The Elders had their phone and backpacks with them, but their house keys were attached to their car keys. They had to bunk with another set of Elders for a few days until their landlady could make them another key. ON THE BRIGHT SIDE the car was found!!! The zone leaders told us today that the car had been found, and that it probably still has all of our mail in it. Apparently the perpetrator was apprehended about 2 blocks from the church building that same night.  He wasn't able to get very far, or take anything from the vehicle and the police have had it in impound since then. So, hopefully I'll be getting a double dosage of mail this upcoming Friday! Exciting! haha, that was adventure #1.

Adventure #2 happened today as we were pulling out of the car wash. First of all, it was the most epic car wash I have ever experienced. It was a rain forest. YUP, a themed car wash with everything including monkeys and a giraffe with leaves for towels - and it was only $5! Oh the joys of serving in....Hawthorne.  Anyway, there was a LOT of construction right on the road around the entrance/exit to this car wash. There was quite a bit of traffic. So, I pull out around all of the cars and things, trying to be super careful and finally I think "I'm clear!" then right as I start to go Sister Jo yells "CONE!" ....but it was too late. So today, we're holding a funeral service for Ernie, the traffic cone who was brutally murdered by a hit and run grey Toyota Corolla at approx 1:28 PM....on the bright side - the car is ok!  YAY for no mission car damage fines!

As for the missionary work in this area....it's different! We have some investigators, but mostly we're still finding those whom the Lord has prepared. I know they're out there!! I have faith and hope and am looking forward to finding them and enjoying the rest of the week here in Hawthorne!

The Gospel is true!!
Love, Hna Hensley

PS - this is proof that sister missionaries do make it rideing bikes in skirts. Sister Malani and I biked all day on Tuesday, right before transfers.

La Semana de Milagros

Oh wow! What a week!

Seriously - as Sister Malani and I looked back over this past week, we had to double check our numbers and everything. We just could not believe it. It's almost too good to be true the week we just had. It's truly been a week of miracles.

I don't even know where to begin. Hmmm....well we had a surprise a few days ago and got a call that we could be receiving, not one, but TWO mini missionaries! yup. And that they would only be with us for about 6 hours. So we quickly scrambled around and changed up our plans and adjusted and went and picked them up. Because there was 4 of us we went on splits and covered our area twice over...one mini with me and the other with sister Malani. I was super nervous because...well I'm not really that experienced and i didn't want this poor young woman to have like, the most awful experience of her life with me. So I said about a million prayers and we went off to work! We knocked on some doors, tried to contact people, and even our set appointment wasn't home. So we went over to visit a less active member and her family. WELL The mother wasn't home, but the woman who takes care of her children while the sister is at work was there watching the kids (she's not a member) so we sat down and started talking. We've talked in the past before, but we've always had the feeling that she wasn't really open to talking about the gospel or having any sort of religious conversation. However, I felt like I should share a scripture with her from The Book of Mormon (Helaman 5:12 - it's a gem. if you don't already know what that it - look it up!!) So as we were listening to her I pulled out my BoM and had it open on my lap. Before I could even say that I wanted to share a scripture she said "So, what do you have for me?" this opened up the conversation and we talked about the Book of Mormon, where it came from and the teachings it contains. I recited to her the 1st vision and talked about Joseph Smith. The spirit was so strong! In the end, she didn't set a specific return appointment with us, but she asked/accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon and said that she'd definitely read it, and "who knows, the next time we meet i may have some questions for you" It was a very cool experience for both me and the mini missionary. Also, Sister Malani had some amazing experiences with her mini missionary, but I wasn't there for those so I don't remember. All I know is that when the 4 of us met back up before it was time for us to go, they had found 2 new investigators! Yeah! We have appointments with them this week. In fact, our entire day tomorrow is booked from 12-8 with set appointments. WHAT?!?! See - like I said, almost too good to be true. Heavenly Father has blessed us so much this week!

We also had our Pentecostal, Filipino investigator come to church! Let me tell you that was a miracle! We invited him to come to church Saturday night and Sunday morning and he said that he wouldn't be there. So we weren't expecting him at all. And then lo and behold. In the middle of our gospel principles lesson...in he walks! Sister Malani and I were teaching and...we just about fell over. Not really, but we all of the sudden had big smiles on our faces and had to stop a bit and gather our thoughts together. We're still not 100% sure how committed he is to the lessons, or what he's expecting from meeting with us - but we did set a tentative baptismal date with him for March 23! He said he "wouldn't hesitate" to be baptized, but he first had to believe "ever single word" of the Book of Mormon. It's going to be a long journey with him, but it's totally rewarding. What a miracle!

While there were about a million other experiences that were miraculous this week, I'll tell you just about one more. We've started teaching this couple whose names are D and C. Their daughter is a member of the church in....somewhere cold near Canada.....and they've had missionaries come and visit them at their house on and off for many years. We were looking through our area book one night and we saw their names and decided to stop by. So we did last week and they were so nice! However, about 5m inutes into the conversation C said "well, we're happy that you ladies stopped by but I just want to tell you both upfront that we won't join your church" and then I think he started to tell us why, i don't really remember much because i just started thinking in my head. Usually when people tell us this I don't get the best feeling. But with them....it was like I didn't believe them. So we continued to talk with them and we shared a short message and prayed. D asked us if there were any upcoming activities and things that she/they could come to - aha! There it was! So, we invited them both to the departing missionary fireside which is a special event where all the missionaries who are leaving for home this transfer bare their testimonies and sing/perform special musical numbers. The Spirit is always very strong there so it's an excellent opportunity for investigators/members/recent converts to feel the spirit. So we invited them to it (it was last night) and they came!!! Ah it was amazing! The Spirit was so strong there! The testimonies were just what they needed to hear, the musical numbers were beautiful (that especially touched C) and it was just...wow. Afterwards we went back to their house for a few minutes and sat with them and talked about their experience. They just said how uplifting and inspiring it was to be there. Before we left we said a prayer with them and they said we could stop by anytime, and we're planning on going towards the end of this week. Our relationship with them is really building and we have high hopes for both of them.

Hearts are softening here in North Torrance! It's been a beautiful week.

I love you all to pieces. Write me and pray for me! I'm doing the same for all of you!

-Hna Hensley

ps - transfers this week!! ahh!!!  :)

Adventures of the week

WOW, this week has been one full of adventures.

Spring in Cali

The weather has been really nice here lately (mid 70s or so during the day) and since we're running a little low on our monthly allotment of miles on our car, Sister Malani and I decided that we would bike for half a day.  Plus, we though we would some extra exercise. The members feed us really well here and so we need to slim down a bit haha! Let me tell you, it is quite an adventure to ride a bicycle in a skirt, it's cah-razy.  The area I'm in isn't hilly at all (thank goodness) so the ride was fairly easy and actually biking in a skirt isn't too bad. I have some bike shorts that I wore under my skirt and I got one of my bigger skirts so it's not really difficult to ride around. The difficult thing is stopping.  Then putting your feet on the ground and starting back up in a skirt. Logistically it's tough in the skirt. When you're, let's say, at a stoplight and have limited time to do everything it can be a wobbly challenge. BUT I did it. and managed. We biked from 12:00 to 4:30 that day. Yay! Yes, I was immensely sore the next day - but it was nice! We think we might do it again today actually, so that's fun stuff :)

Another wonderful thing that happened this week was that Sister Malani and I were able to actually teach some lessons! yeah! We had one particularly awesome lesson with a woman named I*****. She teaches at a local Catholic school. Initially we were a little skeptical about this lesson, and very nervous to teach her. She seemed extremely knowledgeable and 'set' in her religion. However, as we sat and listened to her, we were able too teach by the Spirit of God, directly to her. As she sat and listened to our message the Spirit was so strong and she accepted our invitation to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. She did not set a return appointment with us because she's going to be out of town for the next 2 weeks.  But, as we were leaving and talking with her she said that initially she was going to tell us that 'she was ok and wasn't planning on changing religions and didn't want to waste our time' but as she listened to us teach 'something told her that she should listen and consider what we have to say'.

 

How grateful we were for the strength of the Holy Spirit in that lesson! As we got in the car afterwards we drove around the corner, stopped and said a prayer of gratitude to our Heavenly Father for allowing His Spirit to testify to all of our hearts during that lesson. What an awesome experience it was for the both of us.

I love you all and am keeping you in my prayers daily! have a wonderful week!

-Sister Hensley

Esta Semana...

...fue interesante!! Oh. Man. I actually have a story to tell this week. You better believe it.

 

So, since we don't have anyone that we're teaching at the moment, we've been going through our area book looking at people who have previously been contacted or taught by missionaries and trying to recontact them and see their level of interest.

 

Well. We went by this man's house. His name is G--------. We stopped by last week when we had our mini missionary with us and he was cleaning his floors. Apparently it was a big ordeal to let us in because they weren't dry or something. So, we set a return appointment with him for Sunday. He seemed a little odd when we talked to him through his kitchen window (he was cleaning the floors and couldn't get to the door) but he also seemed nice enough.  We were so looking forward to his appointment. Well, we got a member from the ward, Sister C-----, to come with us to this lesson and boy - we didn't know we were in for such a treat.  He started talking about his beliefs, which were weird. Like, multiple lives, reincarnation (kind of) colored spirits, God and Jesus are great spirits, Christ didn't actually die on the cross but that it was a symbol for a cross examination, that through the different cycles and lives that the world has been in it's been changed by man so that we can understand, and that he can only say 'amen' in his prayers even though he said like 1000 'our father god's.

 

We just sat there and listened and tried to speak but could barely get a word in. Then we did. we taught about the restoration and what we believe about the Godhead and about our purpose and lives here on earth.  We are literal sons and daughters of our heavenly Father and that he still speaks to us today through prophets because he loves us and he is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. 

 

Then he talked some more about some crazy things that I don't even remember.  This church is online and is taught by professors and you have to be invited but you can leave whenever etc. who knows?  Then we bore our testimonies, and then sister C----- talked about her conversion and we left. He was a very nice man, just blinded by the craftiness of men :( which is sad. But one day he'll look for the truth and he'll remember our visit and then he'll be so much happier! woot woot!

G-------- is the one who gave us FIJI water, and since my companion is from Fiji, we had to take pictures :)

 

That's my story.

 

 

 

I went full-out tracting for the first time today. We knocked a whole street. Nobody let us in, but nobody was really rude to us either. So it wasn't that bad. the work here is moving slowly but surely.

Also - we have an interesting bike story but it will have to wait until next week since I'm out of time!

 

I love you all dearly and know that you are all in my prayers. Thank you so much for all you do - find people for the missionaries in your areas to teach!

 

love you!

Birthday Week

Just like Christmas, birthday's on the mission are the best! My lovely companion arranged for a surprise district/zone lunch at the chapel with balloons and tacos and a cake. It was very sweet of all the Elders (and my companion), we had a nice time. Members and investigators wishing me happy birthday all day - it was great. Plus all of the cards I received in the mail and the birthday wishes from everyone around, my it was lovely.  It truly was a special day - and now I'm 22!  It's going to be a good year for me, I can feel it.

Mini-Miss She came on my birthday and is such a beautiful girl.

But the greatest thing about my birthday weekend was that we had a mini missionary! Her name was Sister E------- and she is amazing! She stayed out with us from Friday night to Sunday night and she was, like, our 3rd companion. She was a little shy at first, but definitely sensitive to the Spirit and ready to follow through with the promptings that the Holy Ghost was giving her. It was a really beautiful thing to watch her grow everyday and every hour just a little bit more! She taught me so many things about patience and love. I love having mini missionaries, and when she turns 21 she's going to be the best missionary - EVER. She's only got great things ahead of her in life. PLUS she was a total vintage girl and she was thinking about getting her degree in makeup for film. WHAT?! The Lord truly matched us together for reasons haha

We had a cool experience last night that I'd like to share with y'all. We had dropped off Sister E------- (sad!) and headed back to our area to work. We had had an appointment and planned to go to this one part of our area later that night. But as we were looking through our mobile area book 2 names stood out to me that were close to our appointment. The mobile area book is a binder we keep in the car that has the names, addresses, and phone numbers of people who have contacted the missionaries and have shown some interest in the past but have faded or we have lost contact.  This is very helpful when plans and backup plans fall through.  After feeling impressed by these two names we decided to go over to that area early and try and contact these people before our appointment. The first person we knocked - not home. So we walk over to the other door and knock and this man opens the door. We were a little surprised because the person we had on record was a woman so we asked him politely if he knew her.  He said he did and that she lived there but wasn't home. We then started to share our message with him and he listened very intently to us and asked us many questions. He's from the Philippines and is Pentecostal. He kept talking and talking to us.  We had to make our appointment so we set a return appointment. He thanked us for coming to his door and knocking on it and we'll be seeing him again this week! It'll be an interesting meeting for sure, since we're not quite sure of his intentions. But if he's really sincerely looking for the truth, he doesn't know what he's in for! haha :) It's going to be a great experience either way.

 

 

The Princes baloons are from
my zone and the other is from
a dear friend, is says 16 + 6.

From another dear friend
who will make a great
missionary.

Well family and friends, I'm off to a doctors appointment in a few minutes. Know that I love you all dearly and that I pray for you often. The lord is keenly aware of each one of us and is always waiting and willing to bless us.  When we do our part, live worthily and ask Him. He will provide a way. :) I love my Savior, Jesus Christ, with all my heart <3 have a wonderful week!

-Hna Hensley 

My wonderful companion Hermana Malani.  She organized the whole surprize party without me even knowing it.