7-27-2023 - Week One and a half - The MTC - Epilogue

Hello everyone! 

This past week and a half has been crazy to say the least. Being a missionary is so different than anything else I've done in my life. During the first week of Zoom classes I honestly didn't feel like I was paying attention a whole lot but I actually got a lot out of those lessons. Luckily we had breaks fairly often throughout the day so I was able to clear my mind and to talk to my family and play with my nieces quite a bit before I left. My district is great and very vocal, so when the conversations are on task the lessons go great. When the discussion starts to go off track... well we just won't talk about that. Most of our lessons focused on how to get more out of our scripture study and how to teach with passion and the Spirit. I feel like even not paying as much attention as I probably should have, I was more attentive than I normally would be at school because I was able to get rid of a lot of distractions like YouTube and video games which would normally keep my brain focused on something else. Overall, I'm not a huge fan of Zoom lessons during at home MTC, because they were sooooo slooow. But I was able to get a lot out of them at least.

On Tuesday, I got all packed and after saying goodbye to my family and my childhood home I was on the road to Provo to be at the actual MTC. On my way up to the MTC my parents and I visited Temple Square in Salt Lake and got to see the Temple's renovation progress as well as the Assembly Hall and Tabernacle which both have some cool looking old pipe organs in them.
When I got to the MTC I was whisked away from my parents and was quickly taken to orientation where I got all my stuff I need for my stay here and I had hardly any time to get unpacked and get to class. After getting unpacked I pretty much was just in devotional lessons (which have been fantastic) for the rest of the day.

Luckily while I've been here I was able to see all of my friends who are here at the MTC right now which has been a blessing to have more sense of being at home when they're around.
This morning we were able to go to the Provo Temple and had a great session there. That's pretty much everything I've done in the past week and a half.

To end on a somewhat spiritual note I've been thinking about Alma 26:12 which says. "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 love this scripture a lot because I know that if it was up to me to teach someone a lesson on any topic it would not go well (I'm not a good teacher, I've been told) but because as a missionary I have authority from God to preach I know that it doesn't matter that I'm a bad teacher on my own because God will strengthen me to do his will and through the Holy Ghost I can touch the hearts of others and make a real difference in someone's life that can only be brought about by the power of God.

Love you all,
Elder Hansen









Got to meet his MTC comp Elder Sainsbury, who alos is from Meridian, 
for lunch at Chic-fil-a while they were doing at home MTC.





Calling home!


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