2-13-09
Dear Elder & Sister Hansen and all my children,
Both of my Missionaries are training new Missionaries right now. It reminded me of the fact that except for a day or two at a time (as a hold over until an opening could be worked to get them to their official trainer), [or on trade offs for a few hours at a time] with a few brand new Elders that I worked with, I did not train a fresh from the MTC Elder on a long term basis. But starting out in the Payneham Ward, as the East Zone Leader, I had at least 8 companions during the remainder of my mission as a 2nd time trainer, ether because they had an attitude problem, or their first Companion was a jerk to them or did not set the right example for them, or they had a self worth complex (partly because they had a jerk for a first companion). And 4 of the 8 of these Elders, Pres. W told me, that he was sending them to me as a last resort, and if I could not do anything with them, he was “going to send them home”. As it turned out, only one of them was sent home (Elder H, a really great guy), and it was found out that he had a medical problem, but after medical help he was able to honorably serve the rest of his mission in the Utah Salt Lake City Mission, and got to meet one of the Assistants there – Elder H (Cousin Mark), and was thrilled to meet my cousin.
Another of my companions that had been given to me as a last resort (in fact, Pres W told me “his very life was at stake”, depending on what happens in the next two weeks – he told the Elder that he would give him two weeks to straighten things out, or he was going to send him home). This was partly because he had come on his mission for the wrong reason (his girlfriend told him that she would not marry him, unless he was a “Returned Missionary”), and again, he had a first companion/trainer that was less than stellar. After a couple of days of trying to motivate him, I felt I was a failure, and pleaded with the Lord to show me how to “convert” him to proselytizing. My attempts to win him over included taking him around to meet all of our investigators, a dozen or more, which he really enjoyed (as his previous companionship did not have any serious ones). But it was really hard to get him to find the connection between the investigators we had because we had been obedient to mission rules, worked our tails off knocking doors, doing community service, and priming members for referrals. As we first put forth the effort and faith that there was somebody here we were supposed to find, God blessed us with people to teach. Then as the members saw how hard we worked and how effective that we were in teaching, they entrusted us with even more people to teach. Then as we started Baptizing, those new converts provided us with a whole new pool of investigators that just had a dominoes effect, and got the steam roller going strong! But again it first came from Faith, Obedience & Hard Work (or as the Aussies would say “Hard Yuckka”, aboriginal word for hard work). My new Comp. especially bonded with Joan (mom) and Jodi (9 yr old daughter) B, who had just been baptized the week before, and now we were working with the husband/dad – Arthur. But even after all this he had a hard time with tracting & street contacting.
After a few days of what seemed like dragging him around, and being frustrated at his frustration, I was saying my evening prayers and had a feeling. So the next morning we got in the car (all our Mission cars were old mustard colored Toyota Corola’s, except the White Mission Van – a 12 or 15 passenger, and the large, maroon Mission Pres. Yank Tank ), and as we drove past the road we should have turned on (to go to the area that we were tracting), my Comp. who had been in a very sullen mood, suddenly seemed concerned, and asked, “where are we going?” I replied, “Oh, just for a little ride”. To which he sat up and almost looked gleeful. We drove up into the Adelaide Hills (Still in our Zone boundaries) to a Park, a Wilderness Area, with really nice water falls (at least a quarter the height of our own Yosemite Falls). We walked a ways from the falls, to a spot where we could look out through a wedge in the mountains a see a large portion of the suburban area of Adelaide below us. It reminded me of the V/M Ranches up in Coarsegold, except instead of oaks, digger pines and chaparral (Manzanita etc); we had gum trees (Eucalyptus), wattle and scrub. I told the Elder that, I did not care why he came on a mission. What I cared about at this point was, what happens now! He needed to find out why he is here. I told him that I had been wrong, that I kept asking the Lord, “what do I need to do to help you?” So I did everything I could to help show you the way, what you needed to do. I did everything in my power to help you. Then last night I had the very strong impression that I was totally wrong in thinking that I had even a splinter of hope of helping you! This has very little to do with you and me, but it has everything to do with you and The Man Upstairs. You’ve gotta be right with “Him” first, and then together we can work out the rest! So, I’m going to leave you right here, and I’ll be just over there a ways, so we can still see each other, but we will not be able to hear each other pray. One of two things is going to happen here Elder, either you are going to have a confirmation from the Lord that this is what you are supposed to be doing, and then you have the personal commitment to put your whole heart and soul into this work, or I’m taking you to Pres. W, to send you home. I know that he told me to give you 2 weeks, but 2 weeks more, or 2 months more is not going to change a thing, unless you know in your heart who you are really serving here! He asked “how long are we going to be here?” “As long as it takes”, I responded. “But we have appointments tonight” he reminded me. “Then we will contact them after we get back, apologize and reschedule” I countered. I then continued, I may not be fully communicating here, but again, we are not leaving here until you have a witness from God as to who you are, why you are here right now in this mission, with me and the other people you have and will have contact with, and most importantly, who it is that you are here to represent. If we have to do the Enos thing, and stay here all night,…we will. If it takes 3 days to get your answer, I’m willing to do that. But when we leave this mountain, I want you to have an answer one way, or another…either dive in 100%, or GO HOME! Now I want you to consider a few things; I want you to think about the Bs, how you instantly bonded with them. How do you want them to remember you, as the Elder that quit? Or do you want to help teach Arthur (the dad) and be involved with his Baptism? I know if you go home now, your family will still love you, and accept you back (as well they should). But will you be able to face them? Then what about your girlfriend? If she is worth her salt, she will not marry you. Would you even feel worthy to ask her to make a commitment to you, when you don’t keep your commitments? This is your very life here, Elder. If you quit now, you will never finish anything you try to do the rest of your life. But if you gain a conversion and finish this mission, you will have the tools to finish anything you set out to do in life. All of these are temporal concerns. Very important concerns, but the greatest thing that I want you to think about is, the time that Jesus spent in Gethsemane, and on Calvary suffering and dying for you; And ask yourself, “has ANYTHING you have faced thus far on your mission, even COME CLOSE TO WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR YOU?!!?” When you compare what he did for you, what is the big deal in having a few doors slammed in your face, or having people speak rudely to you, or even threaten you or throw things at you? And because he did what he did for you, there should be nothing that he could ask of you, that you would not be willing to give, even, the offering of your own life. “So you tell me when you are ready”
I then walked 80 to 100 yards off to where we could still see each other, but could not hear each other unless we yelled. I then knelt down, and began to pray. Weighed down with the extreme pressure that I felt was on my shoulders for the very life of this young man, I pleaded with my Heavenly Father, to bless this young Elder, to help him have a witness of “His” Son, and to be fully committed to this great work. I prayed for our investigators, for my family, for my own worthiness, and many other things. I paused and looked to see if my companion was still there,…he was. I looked again to the wedge in the mountain and part of the city sprawled out before me. I then had a very strong impression that my grandfather, James Alfred Hansen (who had passed away about 7 years before), was standing right there beside me, and I could hear his voice telling me, “they are out there, waiting for the Gospel, they are ready, when you are ready!” I felt the presence of others there also, including my [maternal] grandfather William August Hinze (who passed away over 8 years before). I was powerfully reminded that we have a lot of loved ones pulling for us, on both sides of the veil. My Friend Don Handly had died in a car accident aprox 2 years before, and I had felt his presence many times, and felt that he was a Guardian Angel of sorts. But it became very clear to me that, we are not alone, that there are MANY who watch over us, and that the Temple Keys of Sealing power, as well as truly being Brothers and Sisters in the Gospel are Eternal, and that Angels truly do go before us to prepare the way. We are being watched over and protected, that there is a tremendous work going forth, on the other side of the veil that would dwarf the efforts on this side. They are preparing the relatives and ancestors of those being taught on this, the mortal side of this great work. Other great things were felt and opened to view.
After 2 to 3 hours, my companion came to me with red swollen eyes, his whole countenance was changed. There was a combination of humility, joy, recognition of what the Savior had done for him, and a deep resolve to do what ever he needed to do, to be a full disciple of the Man from Galilee. He said he was “ready to go to work”. From that time on this young missionary was a hard worker and ally in the companionship, not a drag or dead weight.
The next Sunday, Arthur B came to church and that night he came to a Discussion put on by the Assistants, that included the Joseph Smith Story, The Book of Mormon coming forth, priesthood restoration, the major commandments (morality, tithing, Word of Wisdom, Sabbath Day observance, etc.), and then a challenge to be baptized. We then went into a classroom and the 3 of us all knelt down together and I asked Arthur if he would ask God if he should get baptized (as we filled the font with water before we started the discussion). “I can not be baptized” he stated with sorrow in his voice. “I smoke two packs of cigarettes a day, and I drink coffee & tea, and I drink beer! I’ve tried to stop before and I can’t!” I then asked him, “did Moses part the Red Sea by himself, or did he have help?” He nodded his head and acknowledged that “He had help”. I then asked “do you think God could help you stop those things, and give you strength to do what ever else that He needs you to do, and prepare you to be with your family forever?” “Yes, I know he can.” “Then will you ask him, if you should be baptized, and to bless you to be able to stop these bad habits?” I then bowed my head in anticipation of his prayer. It was silent for a long time, maybe even 4 or 5 min. But I kept my head bowed, and eyes closed, and arms folded. I prayed fervently that Arthur would answer the challenge to pray, because I had great faith, that if he actually prayed, God would answer him with an unmistakable witness. Finally he started the prayer, and asked Heavenly Father if he should be baptized. Then there was a brief pause and next a moment of a powerful feeling, a confirmation from the Holy Ghost, and that he should be baptized, and then with a quivering voice choked with emotion, he continued, “will you please bless me to stop all these bad habits, so that I can be with my family forever!” He ended the prayer, and as I looked up at him, he had tears running down his cheeks.
We got Arthur and my young companion, dressed in white and baptized him that very night. The Confirmation took place immediately afterward, and as I pronounced the blessing part, Arthur was promised that the very sight or smell of tobacco, tea, coffee or alcohol would make him violently sick. That he would be able to take his wife and daughter to the temple to be sealed.
Monday morning when Arthur went to work, all of his workers that smoked, he made them go outside, as their boss was sick, and throwing up. They were all shocked, Friday when they last saw their boss, he was a smokin’, drinkin’ man. Now the very sight or smell of tobacco, tea, coffee, or beer made him throw up. The next time that I saw Arthur, he told me what had happened at work, and told me “Elder Hansen, that was a cruel blessing [curse] that you put on me!” I reminded him that it was not me that gave the blessing, I was merely acting as the voice. But he dearly thanked me just the same.
The B family later became the first family Sealed in the Sydney Temple when it was dedicated. There were other couples being Sealed (initial marriages) simultaneously, but they were the first family sealed.
I know God has a plan and reason for every person, and every association and contact that they have with others. I believe that the series of events just relayed were as much for that young Elder, as they were for the Bs. As he witnessed for himself, the mighty rushing winds, as well as the still small voice, of what the Holy Spirit could do in his life, as well as Arthur B. President W had told us early on, that “there is no problem a missionary has [outside of morality transgressions], that can’t be fixed by having a baptism!” All of a sudden things that seemed so pressing before hand, are pushed to the back burner after a baptism. Within a matter of days this new Elder had seen with his own eyes, and felt with his own heart, his very own conversion to the work, and his very first baptism of his mission. He saw the glorious miracle of a family being united in Gospel living. He saw a husband and father being home with his family, rather than going to the pub every night.
This what the Church is all about.
May God watch over and protect all of you.
Love Jamie
