Understanding the Atonement - 5-30-11

I always wanted that spirtual high mission. We have got a lot of finds lately, me playing the guitar and singing. hahaha so things are doing better. I have lost all sorts of awkwardness with people. I just walk up to people, or next to them, and just go for it. hahaha im going way outside of me lately. hahaha
oh yeah, i had a 2 hour long convo with a lady that thought that only by faith are we saved, the claim and save christian. She couldnt ever answer the faith without works it dead thing. Repentance is not one and done. I found out that the reason they think like that is because they really dont have a close relationship with our heavenly father, they think that he is just a puppet master, and that we spend the rest of our lives glorifying him and not actually progressing. I told her we can become like him. She called me a blasphemer. I said that the pharasies and scribes called Christ the same thing. She never answered why the apostles were given the priesthood. I think i am getting a small taste of what God feels, when His children dont accept it, even though he is all powerful. I can expain this gospel. Its all their choice. Its hard to deal with. Thats my biggest issue. Doesnt matter. Here they have choice. I can only invite them. But i want to be so convincing that they have no other choice but to believe like Ammon, thats what i want. i will never speak this language perfectly, sometimes people wont understand me.
I think the coolest thing about a mission is that its such an amazing opportunity for self purification. And understanding the Atonement, self purification isnt a sad thing like i thought it was before my mission. i kinda had a weird view before my mission. I think elders are sent here to be used, and humbled haha. I look around in the mission, these missionaries are kids with talent upon talent. I kinda get this feeling that we have to be a little bit more than the normal missionary, we have to play more roles, deal with more stuff, and use more of ourselves than most places. maybe thats just me. I hope in the end the Lord will be pleased with what i have done.

Thanks so much, you help me out soo much. You are amazing. i hope the snow melts??? WEIRD. I love you a lot. Thanks for everything. you are the best.

Love
Elder hansen