Nick/Ty 8/20/2012

Hi Nicki-poo! 

I wanted to include today for your reading pleasure a short experience that I had yesterday that I wrote to a couple of friends about.  It was a neat experience about a kid that got baptized into my ward yesterday and it was pretty instructive to me.

"Remember that kid Sam Kiki that started coming the Sunday or two before you left?  Well he was baptized today and is one of the most remarkable people I have ever met.  He gives everything 100% and is so talented.  He bore his testimony tonight after he was baptized, and it was 10 minutes of pure testimony.  He spoke of how he met this other intern at work named Landon Finter who was always happy and smiling and how they would go to lunch and often talk about what made them happy in life.  For Landon it was always his church and association with saints and his belief in a God that loved and cared for him.  It intrigued Sam, and it made him want to learn more.  So he came to church.  But before he came to church he made Landon explain all the covenants that he would have to keep if he were to be baptized a member of the church.  Like he said, if he was going to try something, he would try it 100%.  So he started living the commandments that night and went to church the next day, met with the missionaries and members that week, went to every church activity, read his scriptures and prayed all the time.  He took the challenge to heart to read and find out if the Book of Mormon was true.  In describing his first lesson with the missionaries he talked about how they said a prayer and he felt what he called a blanket of peace surround him.  The missionaries started the lesson and had the prayer before the members got there and so when people would arrive they would buzz his apartment and have to be let in and every time he insisted that they say another prayer and restart the lesson because of the amazing feeling of peace he got.  It was so neat to hear him talk about it and to think back on times I have had that experience in my life.  He said that he always knew there was a hole in his life and that he knew it, but he pretended it wasn't there or he tried to fill it by getting better grades, or playing more sports, or going out with more girls or making more money.  But it wasn't ever filled until he came to this church and he took the lessons and started living this gospel.  And then when another girl who was a non-member stood up last fast and testimony meeting and bore her testimony about how she loved this church, and despite her resistance it had changed her heart and life and made her a better person, it just hit him right then that this is all real.  That he felt peace and assurance that he could not deny.  This is God's true church and he needed it in his life.  That's when he determined to get baptized and he took all the steps to do it before he finished his internship here this summer.  He is an amazing example of faith and desire to live the gospel that I have rarely seen in anyone else.  It is absolutely remarkable and I am grateful to know him.  It strengthened my own testimony and made me really happy."

Because of this experience I went home and talked with a roommate of mine who is a member of the church but is going less active because he's scared of actually committing to live the gospel.  If he lived it he would live it 100% and he's scared of that.  I ran through some of his concerns with him and found that the real concern is that he just doesn't want to commit.  He has the faith required to get an answer, he is just scared to get one because of what it would obligate him to do.  It was really good talking to him and helping him understand why sacrifice is worth the effort of living the gospel and all the blessings we get in return.

So life has been good but busy lately.  I often feel that I'm not good enough at work, but I am working through that.  Momma and Papa are praying for me and give me good advice.  I just need to stick with it.  I don't know that there has ever been something that has challenged me quite like this job.  It's difficult.  But I believe I can work through it, and I'm really going to give it my all.

Stay well little bro.  I prayed for you last night and this morning that you will be happy and effective in your work.  I believe in you.

That's all.  Tyrel Hansen over and out.

FROM NICK:

Dear Tyrel, that was a wonderful account you rendered about that experience.  One of the things that I hope I can keep with me is that I can recognize situations and blessings, the hand of the Lord in our lives and in the lives of others and take away from them learning experiences and more desires to grow and improve.  When I was in the MTC Landon Finter was there as well, I think as a teacher or perhaps something else.  Never really talked to him, but another missionary in my district had a brother who was friends with him.  Hopefully his younger brother chooses to go on a mission as well.  Riley is a bit distanced right now though.  I really enjoyed what you shared about committing 100 percent.  It is one thing that I most definitely need to improve.  Thinking back, it's hard for me to say when I've really poured effort into something.  School was occasional bursts.  Tennis was a vague effort.  Drafting was probably the closest thing I got to really focusing and learning.  I really need to start taking more advantage of the mission to really give it the most complete 100 percent I can give.  It'll be a great blessing to me if I do.  It is an amazing learning opportunity, a mission.  I can see more and more everytime I think about it how huge of a blessing it really is.  The circumstances are all here.  I can take advantage of them, if I start working.  Good advice you gave.  I'll keep you in mind as well.  From what you're writing me I can tell that you are striving to do what you can.  Just keep praying earnestly.  One thing I noticed this week is that I can get such a good relation with my Heavenly Father through prayer.  I am starting to depend more on this relation.  It is wonderful.

Continue having good days.  I still need to learn what you got on your big fancy test that you received results for!

Elder Hansen