Triplets receive mission calls same day, will enter MTC together
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Nathan, Jason and John Hansen share a lot in common. Together they comprise three-fourths of a set of quadruplets born premature at 26 weeks of gestation to John and Laurie Hansen in 1990. At nine weeks old, the fourth quadruplet passed away. When they were 6 years old, their father unexpectedly died following a sudden bout with pancreatitis.
With their histories so intertwined, it's fitting that the brothers Hansen could open their mission calls at the same time. On May 28 — the same day they graduated from high school — dozens of friends and family joined them at their home in Alpine, Utah, for the big moment. Going by reverse birth order, Nathan opened his call first and was followed by Jason and finally John. The results: Nathan is called to the Ohio Columbus Mission, Jason is bound for the Nebraska Omaha Mission and John will speak Spanish in the Florida Jacksonville Mission.
Now remarried, their mother Laurie Pollard visibly beamed with pride at the sight of her three boys opening their mission calls. But as proud as she felt, she was also every bit as relieved upon finally finding out after all three mission calls had been opened that her sons will enter the Missionary Training Center together on Aug. 12.
"I've heard from many mothers that [taking missionaries to the MTC] is a very emotional experience, so I was worried about having to endure it more than once," she said. "It will be such a glorious celebration and an emotional time."
Three of a kind
"They share so many qualities," Sister Pollard said of her sons. "They are just really obedient boys. They haven't given us one ounce of teenage rebellion — they're just amazing that way. And they're all really hard workers, so we know that they'll be really good, humble missionaries."
But of course, Nathan, Jason and John are three different people, each with a unique set of interests and characteristics. Nathan is the sports enthusiast who managed the varsity basketball team in high school. Computers and the outdoors interest Jason, who is more reserved than his two brothers. John is the most outgoing of the trio and, at 6-foot-2, stands approximately five inches taller than his brothers.
When Aug. 12 rolls around and the three brothers enter the MTC, younger sister Kaycee Hansen very well may be the person who ends up missing them the most. The marriage of Sister Pollard to Bryce Pollard formed a blended family of eight children, but 15-year-old Kaycee is the only surviving natural-born sibling to Nathan, Jason and John.
"We're really close," Kaycee said. "We have times where we fight, but that's just us being siblings. I think the majority of the time we get along, and we love each other — I just love them to death!
"The hardest thing is going to be just all three of them leaving [at the same time], because then I'll be like alone almost. I'll miss them a bunch, but they'll be awesome missionaries."
