week 33

What up fam bam!? 

Isa man, I have a lot of stuff to tell you guys! Mother, I didn't get the package.  It will probably be a while now, but no worries! I'll get it someday!  Well the Christmas party was way fun! We had a mission sports day and then the talent show and conference. The talent show was way fun.  A lot people did a meke (dance) and other random funny stuff.  They filmed it and will give us each a copy to send home so you will be able to see it. Elder Key and his zone won the talent show.  He won it last year too...he danced for work in Samoa and he is bomb at mekes!  Conference was very good. They always have a departing testimony meeting.  Man some people just talk talk talk and talk! Haha Oh well.  In the next few months there are going to be a ton of people going home. The second intake after me told me that the teachers in the MTC said that we were the hardest working intake they had at the MTC and all the older missionaries said that we have been the best that has come in this year.  So that was pretty sweet to hear. We went to the temple and it was so nice to go again! I miss going to the temple soo bad! Now that I'm on another island, I won't go again forever but at least I got to go. It is very small but it is awesome! I had my interview with President Klinger as well this week. It went very well! He told me he has a lot of confidence in me, that I am a sharp missionary, and will be a leader in the mission. So that really kind of charged me up you know...knowing that he really believes in me. Him telling me I will be a leader in the mission really makes me want to keep doing what I am doing and more. As you said,  take things from Burewai and bring them to Seaqaqa.  I will do that for sure, all the things I did and things I didn't do as well. So now I will tell  you a little bit about Seaqaqa and Elder Yashko! Elder Yashko in the past has been put with disobedient comps. We talked the first night about what we want to accomplish. He said he is very happy to have an obedient comp because he wants to change and feel like he has been a true missionary for the last 8 months of his mission. So I have seen that he really wants to change and be obedient and help each other out. We have been getting along very well and he knows that I am not going to do things he has done before. So I think it will be fine and I want to help him as much as I can. So yeah that's about Elder Yashko, he's awesome, I love him. Well seriously Seaqaqa is just like Burewai in a lot of  ways.  Seaqaqa is more flat and farm looking. I haven't been to the mountain part yet. We cover a branch in Bua, it's like 3 hours away.  Our area covers like 1/3 of the whole Vanua Levu island. It is very hot, hotter than Viti Levu. There are a ton of Indians! It freaked me out at first man! It's weird though, a lot of Fijians know Hindi and a lot of Indians know Fijian so it's a big mix. A lot more people know English too. We are the first two white comps since 2007 or 2008.  There has always been a Fijian in this area.  There is a village we go to called Nabukadogo. There are members there but its closed so we have to where street clothes to the village. We share the truck with the Labasa elders. I am in Labasa right now. It's like Burewai for pday. We would drive to Nausori, here we come to Labasa town. We switch off every other week with the truck so we just walk sometimes and mostly take the bus. Transportation is one reason why the work is soo hard here. We live right next to the church and there are no members by the church. The closest members are an hour walk. There are no taxis and a bus in the morning, afternoon and at night so it's very hard to get work done, especially when we don't have the truck because we can't miss the bus unless we want to walk for hours. So the location and transportation make it very difficult. The flat is nice though. It's soo nice to have my own flat and not live out of a truck.  Ha it's amazing! I am going to work out a lot here too ha.  We have two water buckets with rocks in them and tied with ties and a bar haha its legit! I am going to start working out a ton more than I have been.  Oh yeah, they always sing in English here too.  I don't like it! I forget all the English songs, I always think in Fijian! The old ladies always kisses us on the cheeks too. Ha it's kind weird, especially when they got big ole nice mustaches! Haha. Church is kind crazy. They talk in two dialects at one time. Ha its weird! There is a senior couple in Labasa too.  Elder and Sister Terry. They just started their mission last week. They are so sick! They are from Vegas and guess what? They love Jimmy Buffet!! Haha. I think we are having dinner on Christmas with them. By the way, we are going to skype Monday at 10  about the same time as email every week. I guess they usually come to email around 10 and 11 here as well. I Also, we do a lot of studying in this area because the areas are so far away and when we use the bus, we get home early so I have read, a church handbook and a Brigham Young book in 2 days!  I am obsessed with studying and learning now so if there are any really good  books you want to send, you are more than welcome!! :) Oh yeah, haha, wanna know something funny...Sunday was my first time going to church here and I am just talking to this recent convert, she's 16 and she said I have a new name for you...I was like what is it?  Elder Handsome! Hahahaha I just started laughing! My name in Burewai and now in Seaqaqa! Soo funny!  I am going to attach a picture of Bau island, the one we were going to go to. We flew over it so you'll see it. Things here are good! I got off the main island which I was hoping I would at least once in my mission! Mail will take longer for sure but it's all good! I am happy, I love it! I love you all!! I will talk to you on skype next week!!! Monday at 10 Fiji time. Sound good?? Ok Love you all!! Moce! 

Elder Hansen

week 32

What's goooodddd!!!?? 

How's the 30 degree weather eh? Things this week were pretty crazy!! Everything in the package was awesome! Don't know about calling or skyping, not sure. We don't have a Christmas tree anywhere. I have no idea what they do here. I really won't know because guess what??? I got transferred! Haha I didn't expect it at all man! Elder Myer and I have only been together for 3 weeks! There were like 10 or so transfers this week. I am now going to Seqaqa in Vanua Levu! Haha I am going to another island! Burewai is the bush in Viti Levu, Seqaqa is the bush of Vanua Levu. I am what we call a bush baby! I won't lie, I was kind of disappointed at first because I love Burewai!! I wanted to spend Christmas and New Years with them and we thought I would  but nope. So I said goodbye to Nasautoka yesterday and people I really wanted to see weren't there. That kinda sucks but I'll say bye to Burewai and Saioko tomorrow. We have a mission conference Monday, mission service and talent show Tuesday. We are doing a meke dance and then me and the other three elders that live in the box flat are singing "Mary did you know in Fijian. Haha we can't sing but oh well!  Wednesday and Thursday are temple days. So I will fly out to Vanua Levu Thursday or Friday. Supposedly Seqaqa has been one of the slowest in the mission. But I guess it's kind of on an uprise. My comp will be Elder Yashko, he is from Logan. It could be challenging, but the work is the same. I just need to do what I can and try to change the area. I left Burewai with 11 baptisms and a lot of new investigators that are progressing really well. We have a baptism next Saturday that I'll miss but oh well. I feel like I left Burewai in a good uprising state. So yeah that has been the main thing this week. So this week I saw a 3 year old with a huge knife, cutting fruit, haha only in Fiji that happens. We did service in Burewai Thursday and then went hiking. We were the first missionaries to go that high and carve our names in the trees! Sweet eh? This is sweet Fijian stuff man, I sliced my finger on the machete.  Don't worry, it wasn't bad haha but the member grabs a leaf and crushes it up, then held it on my finger, after like a minute it was done. Healed completely! It was freakin sweet! It's called wabosucu, the Fiji medicine for cuts. We had a fireside in Burewai that night too. Work is very tough in that village so we decided to hold a fireside. It was suppose to start at 7, we started a little after 8 (Fijians don't have a sense of time) and not one non-member showed up. Ha....so we started anyway and then after we started, about 10 guys like in their 20s or so came, and were all interested. We taught the 1st lesson and then watched the restoration movie. It was sweet man! So hopefully we can get some good investigators out of it. It was a very good night. So yeah that was the week this week. My first transfer!  I love Burewai man! I'm just going to another bush where it's pure Fijian again so I am very blessed.  I can't complain. So we'll see what happens when I actually get there. The picture of the village is the Silemi village with the royal family. We will see him Sunday so we'll see how it goes. Kaseni is what the people in Saioko call me.  They gave me that name the first day I got there. Hope you all have a great week! Love you all. Kalougata Tiko!

Elder Kaseni

FYI the dialect in Vanua Levu is they drop the K's..so Vinaka Vakalevu is Vina'a Va'alevu.. haha I was getting good at speaking in the dialect in Burewai but now gotta learn another!

week 31

Bula vinaka family!!

Isa man, that wind sounds crazy!! The weather definitely nice and warm here! Haha I finally got your box!!! Thank you very much! It was awesome! We ate those peeps and man, can you say sugar rush!? We were acting soo weird man! The caramel melted a little bit but it's all good! Elder Myer is awesome! We get along very well! We are already teaching well together. It's awesome! We both have the same goals and we decided to be true preach my gospel teachers. A lot of missionaries teach things that are not in PMG.  PMG is given to us for a reason and we should follow it. So we decided to teach right out of preach my gospel. We are also a Fijian speaking companionship. I have spoken more Fijian to him in a week then I did with Elder Key in the 4 months I was with him. Its sweet. We think a lot of good things will happen soon. We had a baptism Saturday, Jonasa, a 8 year old who we thought was a member already.  He would go to church every week, knows stories from the Book of Mormon, and come to find out he has never been baptized! His dad passed away a few years back and his mom is not a member. He is the smartest 8 year old I have ever met. He is like the only one that can speak English in the village, Haha. We have one scheduled on the 17th also. She was supposed to be baptized with Jonasa but the day before she drank tea.  She is 11 years old!! Crazy Fijian kids man. But we talked to her and her parents which are two waiting on the divorce and they want her to be baptized. That's sweet that Mark is the mission leader, he will be good! We can't just go door to door in the villages. The chief doesn't allow it but we just talk to people on the street, members sometimes help. Wednesday we gave out 10 pamphlets and 1 dvd.  We have been just trying to talk to as many people as we can. Invite, invite, invite! Yes, you guys need to do branch council! We are just starting it in this area. It's very tough to do it consistently, but if you have everyone involved, it makes it so much easier. I am keeping my journal, don't worry! I have actually done really well on it lately, everyday man! Not studying anything specific right now. My study journal was falling apart because it was just a little notebook, so I bought a hard cover legit journal from the distribution center, so I am just copying into that from my other one and making it organized. Once I get done copying then I will get back on my study schedule. We are practicing a nativity to do for the Christmas party in Nasautoka.  Elder Myer and I are the angels because we are the only two white kids! Haha,  it's funny. Oh yeah, the other day, we were just walking in the village and we pass this group of people around 18-21 years old. We were just talking and then they were like man you guys are maleka!! Uro uro uro!!  All this stuff! Haha Maleka means delicious and uro literally means fat, but to say someone is "hot" oh what not, girls just yell out uro uro. It was so funny! Because we were two white kids that know Fijian. Hilarious man! Guess what though!? We totally got an appointment to see one of them!!  She was asking questions about kava and marriage and stuff and we were like hey, let's meet again next week and we will talk about the church and she said yes! So this is the coolest part of the week. A guy from Nadi, that Elder Myer baptized, gave him a note for us to give to this guy that lives in a village called Silemi, right between Burewai and Saioko. They are a royal family and a member in Burewai. He is the kings son, too. So he came with us to see this guy. The note said, please take care of these elders and receive them. So we go to the village, gorgeous! Literally on the water, coolest looking village I have been to. We ask around for this guy, everyone is just staring at us in the village. The village isn't open to preach in so we had to find the guy, talk to him and then leave right after. So we talked to him, he was kind of sketch with us at first and then we tell him about the note and he reads it and said "Welcome" You are family! It was soo sweet that this royal guy just told us we are family. So we are going Sunday to teach him and his wife. So we very well could be opening up this village and if this guy gets baptized, he will be the first in that village and then who knows what will happen after. So we are praying very hard and seeing what happens! It was sweet though! So yeah, that was this week! Haha, a very good week!! This week really made me love being in the villages and not the city. We experience the village culture and the family culture. Its sweet! So yeah that's the week! Hope you guys have a great week! I love you all!! 

Elder Kaseni! 

P.S. I will probably email Saturday around 5ish again, we have a conference Monday so Saturday is our next p day.

week 30

Bula Family!! 

So I am sorry. I have not received the package yet. We email in the mornings then the ZL's bring all the mail in the afternoon for sports. So I am hoping today! My new comp is here. He is awesome. We have gotten along really well and already have a good unity just in a week. Its going be very fun and we both feel some good things are going to happen. We both said that we want to help each other learn and change this area. Elder Key never did progress records or anything. But Elder Myer and I talked and we are going to do everything we can to get the members involved and do everything we are suppose to down to the last little thing. So we gave the branch presidents the progress records and they had no idea what it was. Its going to be good!! We are both excited. We got a new fridge in our baby flat. Ha, it's awesome! I love it! It barely fits but its nice. Have you guys seen 17 Miracles? Its freakin sweet! You need to! We had our baptism yesterday. Lanieta, she has been waiting 8 months to be baptized. She was soo happy. We couldn't do it under the waterfall because it has been raining like crazy. There has been a little flooding and the water was flowing way to fast so we did it just right above the waterfall. We found 4 new investigators this week, too. It was sweet. 2 of them asked for Book of Mormons the first time we met them. We had 3 interviews scheduled but one lady's husband wouldnt let her get baptized. Sala, we have been teaching her since my first week. Also 2 kids. One 11 year old girl happened to drink tea the day before the interview so now she has to wait 2 weeks so we will only have one this Saturday. Crazy people man! We only had 4 people go to church in our unit.  We didn't get there but one of the members told us. The ones who didn't show up were sleeping in the house that we have it in! Ha if it wasn't for two of the members church would not run there at all. Oh yeah, I heard about your skyping experience dad. Haha, I will be able to skype you guys most likely on Christmas. Yeah I have been slacking a bit on working out.  I have definitely gained some fat! President Klingler is good. Yes I write him every week. He's been in New Caledonia and Vanuatu so I haven't seen him forever. I rarely do anyway though. So I am glad you guys had a good week! Oh yeah if possible, I don't now if it is or not please send shredded cheese!?(only Shane would ask me to send shredded cheese!!)  Talk to you next week!! Love you guys! Have a good week!! moce!

Elder Hansen

week 29

Bula Vinaka!!! E A KOE?? haha E A KOE is how are you in Tuvaluan...

The first couple of lines is referring to a DVD Ashlee made for Teague's 50th B-Day.

Man that sounds awesome!!! Mom and Dad how does it feel to have the best kids ever!!?? Haha.  That's sweet though! I wanted to send a better birthday video but it was too big :( Sorry! I am glad you still liked it though! I knew when Ash told me what was going to happen Mom would cry. I am glad it fulfilled my prophecy! I do have access to a DVD player, each comp has one now. So send it!! The little boy said Happy Birthday in Fijian,  Elder key said it in Samoan and I of course said it in English. That sounds like an awesome night! I have been getting the newsletters from Grandma and Grandpa.  No worries about that. Tell them thank you so much for the Christmas gift, too! I haven't received the box yet. I am hoping to get it today or tomorrow! Tell Jordyn I miss her! Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie will not be the same man! Oh well, I'll just stick to eating leaves, Haha. The thing by Elder Bednar is sweet, I just printed it out. I'll definitely find ways to use it.  Well, this week has been a crazy week! We have hardly been in our area because Elder Key got transferred. He is the ZL in the Lautoka zone. My new comp is Elder Myer from Idaho. He was Elder Inu's, my comp from the MTC, trainer. Inu is now with Moaalii's trainer. They just switched.  He is a sick kid though and a great elder, hard worker. It is so nice to have someone else drive too! I love it!  I think some good things will happen. So a guy he just baptized in Nadi and his cousin owns some land by Burewai and in another village. He wrote a note for us to give to this village that pretty much says, take care of these elders and listen to what they have to say.  So we don't know what will happen. We are going to check it out but we might be able to open this village and have a lot of work from it so we'll see. I am excited to see what happens. We have 4 baptisms, one this Sunday, and 3 the next Saturday, the 3rd of December. I don't know if I told you about this, but the one divorce situation, is now settled because the husband was sent to prison and so she is the one getting baptized this Sunday.  It was kind of an interesting situation, ha. We met the new intake (new group of missionaries)this week too. So they put the pictures in the office of the new intake and every time I have gone to the office, one of them always looks familiar.  I have seen him somewhere. Well I started to talk to him and we were in the same mission prep class at institute. Ha it was weird! He seems pretty chill though.  He reminds me a lot of Nache.  Oh yeah,  if you ever want the best mango and pineapple, come to Fiji! We always pick mangos from the tree and eat them and then fresh pineapple...SOO GOOOD!!!!  So today we are suppose to be going to Bau Island. It's a small island by our zone. We are taking some boats across and spending p-day there. I can't wait! I hear it's pretty sweet. So yeah, not too much happened this week since we were in Suva. Because our area is so far away we have been staying in another area and helping them out this weekend. It kind of sucks that Elder Myer won't  be in the area until next week because we need to go on splits for a baptism interview. I also spent 17 bucks on McDonalds in Suva too! It was soo delicious! Except  I was still hungry after I had a double cheese, chicken nuggets, large fry, large coke, and then half of a big mac. Haha not good! Well Pops it sounds like you had a great birthday! I am happy for you! I am glad everyone is doing well..Hope you have another good week! Love you all! Kalougata Tiko!

Teague asked him if he is hungry a lot. His response was:  Man nothing has been filling me up lately. Ha not good! Like last dinner I got full after I had a full loaf of bread, two full plates of chicken curry and rice.

Elda Hansen

week 28

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Even though its on Wednesday but big 5-0!!! Its weird not celebrating our bdays together man! I'll drink some coconuts for you! Haha but yeah I am not a teenager anymore!!!!!!!!! What's going on my amazing family!?  As always, things are great here!! We are celebrating my birthday today because it was Sunday here and we couldn't buy anything. So tonight you know what it is... Cake and ice cream!! Can't wait! The AP that just went home was Elder Malo. His brother played at Cottonwood. They were the poly family that lived in Chillys house in Park Place. It was crazy when I met him and started talking about it. Transfers haven't come  yet but this week probably. Our President is out of the country,  I think in New Caledonia. The village drama has settled down now so we can baptize the one who was waiting on the divorce because the guy is in prison for rape I guess. The couple Saula and Aliti, who both wanted to be baptized and then said to stop until they were married and they would take the lessons together...well they got into a fight and Aliti cut Saulas finger with a machete so she left, but Saula still wants to be baptized. He just has to stop smoking than he's set. So out of all the drama, some good came out of it except we lost Aliti as an investigator. But this week we have found like 4 potential investigators. So its been a good week. The work could be picking up alot soon. We have three baptism dates for Dec 3 and possibly two more in December. In the Burewai village, the new Methodist church just came in. There are 4 girl missionaries and one of them is a preacher, I think haha. So people say they are the mission girls and we are the mission boys. We haven't met them yet. Ha, I want to though!! We talked to the Methodist preacher this week just for the heck of it.  He was a nice guy but he brought up experience. He said you need experience to live and know Christ. He said he knows because he was spent 30 years doing it.  We didn't argue or anything but the main thing that we said was that we were going to walk through the village and talk to the people in his church. Haha. He was ok with it though. So listen to how old school Saioko is. So they are suppose to start church at 11 and so we go up at 12:30 to see some people after. They had not started yet.  They said that they run on the old time from daylight savings. So to them it was only 11:30.  Well they are still late on the old time!  They said the new time is time of man and the old time is the time of God so that's why they don't change their clocks at all. So funny man!!  Freaking Saioko men, I love them though. They are awesome. So yeah that's about all! Hopefully I will get the package today! Thanks so much for sending it.  You guys are awesome!! One thing I have learned, is attitude is sooo big! You need to know what you need to do, do everything you can do that you have control of,  and leave everything else to Heavenly Father. If you sulk, things are not going to get better. If you keep moving forward, things will pass by. I love this mission! Its freaking awesome! Good days and bad days, I love it! Well I hope you have a great bday dad  and everyone else have a great week! Talk to you next week! Love you!!

Elder Hansen

week 27

Bula bula!!!

Yeah this is the only email I got but no worries! What's going on? How was st jeezy?? What did y'all do? This week was a bit of a crazy, fun and slow week at the same time. Haha. Slow in the work because we have hardly been in our area because we had our mission tour this week. I will tell you more about that in a bit! So the past couple of days we were in our area, this is what happened. The Saioko Branch president now knows that there are 50 states in America haha, and they say I am getting fatter!! They say iko sa levulevu! But in Fiji that is a good thing.  Ha, it's weird!  We had some big time village drama in both Saioko and Burewai this week. It's not been good! One of our investigators husband, one waiting on the divorce, went to prison last week but the good thing is now we can baptize her, but they can't live together when he gets out until they marry. So I don't exactly know what is going on with that! The family that we have had come to church at in Burewai is all messed up.  Let's just say, if things go as they are, work will go nowhere in that area. It sucks and we can't do anything about it but we did get a really good new investigator this week from there.  It would take too long to tell you everything and I have other things I want to tell you. It's been a bit of a crazy week so we'll see what happens. We are done with the training program now.  Transfers are this week and we are pretty sure that Elder Key will get transferred so I'll let you know more about that. I haven't got the package yet but maybe later today or tomorrow.  Oh yeah also, two investigators in Saioko need to get married and they both want to be baptized Saula and Aliti. But they decided, they want to stop taking lessons until they get married and then start all over again and take them together. It will push everything back but at the same time, I think it will be better for them to take the lessons together. Now to the good part! We just had our mission tour this week and so that is what I want to share with you this month. Our mission tour was bomb!! All the missionaries came to Suva. We had a training on Saturday and a presentation Sunday. Elder and Sister Watson came to it. Elder Watson has been a secretary for 7 prophets and now is in the area presidency for the Pacific. It was awesome. I learned a lot of things that strengthened my testimony. I have a whole list of things that I am going to share...so yeah!

1. Elder Watson said Moms are the reason why we are on missions. Without moms, the church would die. I agree with this big time! Thank you sooo much Mom for all the help and support you give to me. You really are a BIG reason why I am here today!

2.Sister Klingler said, "Never be the student who never studies and wants help on the big test." She talked about how important it is to study and what not." She also said, "We need to have a vision of who we are and what we want to do." She told us to think about what our vision is for investigators. That was good, too.

3. Talking about the spirit and doing things by the spirit, President Klingler said "The single biggest obstacle for missionaries to help investigators feel the spirit, is not knowing what it feels like."

4. So this is Elder and Sister Watsons training. Sister Watson talked about the articles of faith. She broke down each one and explained it. It was awesome. It really build my testimony on using them more in our teaching. It was sweet. Elder Watson talked about PMG and the first vision. AWESOME! So he showed us a video of Elder Holland explaining PMG when it first came out. He said President Hinckley got up in a meeting and gave the reason for PMG. When missionaries come home and go inactive it shows there's a problem in the missionary program. So really the foundation at first was to help keep RM's active. Its crazy! I love PMG!! Elder Holland then said" We need to convert you first, then you figure out how to convert the investigator." So now, here is the freakin best part!! Elder Watson was talking about the First Vision and we read it verse by verse in the JSH. He explained what was happening and it was sooo sick!! One thing I loved was in 1803 Lucy Mack went to a grove and prayed and asked for the truth to be presented. 17 years later Joseph, her son, also went to a grove and prayed to know what church he should join. Look at it now! Its freakin awesome! He showed us another clip of Elder Holland and he was holding the exact book that Hyrum Smith had when he was killed. He folded a page where he was reading and the fold was still here in the book Elder Holland was reading. It was soo sweet! Elder Watson was talking about how Joseph and Hyrum were willing to die for the church and The Book of Mormon. He said why would they die for a fictional church or book? He told us a story of a temple meeting with President Hinckley and President Hinckley said ' I went to the grove...I didn't have a vision or hear a voice, but a statement came to my head....it happened or it didn't.....I testify to you that it did happen! MAN! I had the biggest chills!! It was awesome! Definitely strengthened my testimony of the restoration and the Book of Mormon. It was such a good conference! I loved it! Saturday, we presented all of our areas to Elder and Sister Watson and then had lunch and chilled.

So it was a great weekend! So that's about all! Things are awesome! I am happy and I love this work! I love reading the scriptures, PMG, everything. I love studying. SO I hope this helps all of you somehow and strengthens you. I am very grateful to you, my awesome parents, for raising me in the church and helping me get here today. I will be partying it up this week for my birthday, drink some coconuts and what not.  I hope you all have a good week! Love you all! Tell everyone hi! Moce!

Elda Hansen

week 26

What's up  "handsome" family!?  Haha funny thing huh?  I went on exchanges in another area and we went to teach a 13 year old girl and she said the same thing Elder Handsome. Haha. People liked the chicken feet huh!  Haha.  They were really good to be honest. It's weird at first thinking you are eating chicken feet but it was very good!  I was thinking this week how someone must have prayed for me to like the food or something because I have been surprised how much I have liked the weird stuff cause we all know I am picky! They don't celebrate Halloween here! They just celebrated an Indian holiday Diwali.  We didn't because there are no Indians in our area but it's like the festival of lights and the story behind it is weird.  I don't get it. There were a bunch of lights in town and eat a lot of Indian sweets. Fall cleaning huh?? FUN!!! Living in the flat we live in has made me really want to be clean and organized.  It's much easier... so mom I see what you have been saying these past 19 almost 20 years. Haha. This week was a slow week in the work. We had stake conference so we were only in our area for like 3-4 days. We had 2 fall through with a couple. We don't know what's going on. We talked to the father of the guy and seems like something might have happened so we are hoping to meet with them this week and see what's going on. We had stake conference so we came to town Saturday and Sunday for that. It was really good. Pres Klingler spoke at both of them and gave really good talks.  He even bore his testimony in Fijian during the Sunday session. It was sick! Everyone was just listening, it was very powerful and very impressive. There were some really good talks about the priesthood and not losing the one. Also the stake president got up and just straight up said DONT DRINK KAVA!! Haha, it was sweet! Everyone drinks kava wayyyy toooo much!! But it's one thing that is very tough for the missionaries to talk to them about because it's a cultural drink so they don't listen to us. It starts with the leaders though, even our leaders drink it so it makes it even harder. So yeah overall the meetings were very good. We had a huge lunch with all the wards and branches in the stake after and the stake pres wife who lives in Korovou where the flat is, told the Korovou elders to get Elder Key and I.  The four of us ate privately with her and she fed us beef, cake, juice.  I was in heaven!!! It was soo good!! Also I forgot to say this earlier, but some little kid got a hold of my camera and somehow deleted all the pictures on my camera. I still have no idea how he did it. Not happy!  All the ones I wanted to send, I already had so it wasn't too big of a deal.  So I won't be sending the memory card home for a while! Guess what?? We had a nail in our tire, guess what I did? I changed it all by myself. The first one I have ever done. So I can check that one off the list of things to learn on the mission. Change a tire..CHECK! My next one I figured out this morning was to learn how to play chess..We slept at Wainobokasi today and me and this kid was teaching how to play. So I am going to become a chess master! Fun fact for the week! My studies are going good, I continue in my study journal. Any suggestions on it?? I have organized my studies so I can get15-20 of each thing so I try to study PMG every day. It's been very good to get an overall study of everything. It's awesome. I love studying them...I wish there could be a day where that is all we do. I want more than just an hour! This is the scripture for the day. 3 John 1:4...This is mostly for the parents, but for us children as well.  To keep us in check in our lives and when we have children! Things are going well still, unfortunately still thinking in English a bit but the confusion of the two is starting to come which I'm happy about. So yeah I am good and healthy and most important, HAPPY! I'm glad everything is going well at home! I love you all and miss you all!! Kalougata Tiko! 

Elder Handsome (Hansen)

week 25

How's my family doing this week? Sounds like all is going well and some good things happened this week! That talk from Elder Bednar sounds really good! I can't remember who said it but I heard a quote that every missionary should have at least one convert..themselves. It's so true that to be truly converted is a long process.  It's something we need to continually work for everyday. Also, can you send some Doritos next package?? Haha I've been craving them. Those gummies were soooo good  last package. For Christmas or whenever possible, ask Rick if he could make some taffy with like FSM or Fiji or something like that?? Let me know but I was thinking that would be awesome! If not, no big deal! So we witnessed with our own eyes cows swimming across the river! Who knew cows could freaking swim? Haha I didn't! We also bathed in a river this week because the house we stay at in Nasautoka ran out of water so it was the only place we could! It was sweet and felt soo good! Yeah, for some reason too, my name with a few people is now Elder Handsome. Haha its funny. Bula Elder Hansen, I mean Elder Handsome! Soo funny!  There are a bunch of Asians doing construction by the house we stay and the father of the house went out to talk to them.  Fijians plus Asians plus broken English = HILARIOUS!! It was seriously one of the funniest things ever! So I have almost finished watching all of conference.  I have the Sunday afternoon session left. It has been soo good!! How about Robert D Hales?? That's crazy!  I have started my study journal. Do you guys have any good suggestions for it? To make it the most effective. What things you guys have done? Let me know on that.  Oh yeah,  remember the picture of the eel? Yeah we actually ate one yesterday.  Haha not bad! And some sea crabs, which I guess if they bite you, it's very dangerous. I have a picture of those. Also we eat chicken feet! Haha it was pretty dang good! So Sala came to church again this week! Awesome! We watched conference in Fijian yesterday.  It was so weird. Everyone is just laying down.  The moms were just laying down on the floor breast feeding their kids. Ha that's how they do it in Fiji, I guess! We had a lesson with a less active Friday and it was probably the best Fijian lesson I have had. She lives ridiculously far from the church... like FAR!!! We talked about importance of church and how Heavenly Father would help her and stuff and guess what!! She came to church!!  It took her around 2 hours to walk there. She is like 16 or 17. It was sweet. I felt really good about it. So here is a funny story. There is an 8 year old who always comes to lessons with us and sleeps with us at the church. He's a little stud! Always prays and shares his testimony and its legit too,  not just a little baby one. He knows stories from the Book of Mormon.  He's way smart. Come to find out he's never been baptized! We both didn't know that and his parents are both nonmembers and so we are starting to teach him the lessons. We had our first lesson with him and set up a baptismal date on November 12. Fastest new investigator with a baptism date ever. SO things here are going good! We had a good week! Still waiting on the divorces.  They are so annoying. So yeah work is going good! My studies are going good, Fijian is slowly coming, haha trying to be patient but yeah I am happy and its fun! Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you guys we got up at 5:30 today and ran 5 miles!  Man my legs are out of shape! My breathing wasn't too bad but my legs were dead! Doesn't beat mom and dad's 11 miles though! Well hope all is well and have a good week this week!! Thanks for everything! Love you guys!! Kalougata Tiko! 

Elder Handsome :) Haha I wish!

week 24

Yadra vinaka!!

Vakacava tiko kemudou!!??

Things here from Fiji are great!! We are in Suva right now for our service for the truck so we have been chilling here so far today. I want to buy this ukulele that is legit beyond legit!! Its 60 bucks so I might have to sacrifice a little bit of money in a couple weeks! Haha But anyway! What's up guys? So the church here is going good, nothing is strange anymore, it's all good! Our branch president from Saioko is picking up his game.  He is doing a little better and he is starting to shave now! He always has a huge beard but he has shaved twice in a row pretty recently, haha. We don't have any mission leaders.  It's just us pretty much. In Saioko and Nasautoka, there are about 35-40 that go to church and Burewai about 12-15. Guess what!!?? Sala came to church!!!! We have been teaching her since I have been here and she was the one that we were so confused about. Our last lesson, we just committed her to be baptized and she said yes. We talked about how important it was to go to church and she came!!! It was the highlight of our week!!  There were surprise transfers yesterday. Elder Hillyard (his zone leader from West Jordan) is going to Kadavu, another island and the missionaries are the Branch President there so he is now the Branch President there.  Pretty legit! My comp will probably get transferred next transfer either next month or December, I'm not sure. I thought it was rainy season now  but everyone says hurricane season is November to April. So I'm not sure haha.  I'll tell you as it comes. It's not too bad here.  Some days are way hot!! Plus the flats are made of tin and so inside the house is even hotter. This week was really hot. I was sweating like crazy. The work we do in the jungle is tei tei or tabuka...farm or chop wood..Straight mud, dirt, everything, plus the sweat makes it bad too.  The dress shirt I am wearing right now has a little mold on it but were are going to get bleach tonight,. Yes, I got the box. It came pretty fast! Haha the picture that was in it, I just got today!  I found it in the office. It was just laying there. But thank you soo much!! It was awesome!! Also,  what was with the toilet paper?? Hahaha it was sooo funny!! We all just started laughing! But I'll tell you what...it was awesome to have American TP!!  Driving in Fiji is funny. In Suva, I hate it because sooo many buses and people don't know how to drive here.  But anytime there are cops, and you flash the lights to warn someone, you always get a wave haha. We did it like 20 times and to see peoples expressions are soo funny! Oh yeah, we had 6 blessings this week too, 3 in an hour. 5 of them to people and 1 to a house. Some girl was possessed so we blessed her and the home. I was disappointed nothing cool happened! Haha I have finally watched a little bit of conference, well priesthood and it was bomb!! Jeffrey R. Holland is the man!!!!  Soo good!! I started my study journal finally and its going pretty good, I am just trying to figure things out to make it most effective. I love doing it though! So I want to finish watching it this week. I am starting to talk in the dialect too. Vosa vakara! Some words are different and you drop the T's so I am slowly doing that with things I know I can say and what not. It's fun. I have also figured out that planning is awesome!! If you can plan, it will benefit you soo much! Goal setting too. I am working on that because I have always sucked at it but I am going to work on it! I challenge all of you to do the same! I promise as you do, you will be more effective and more successful throughout the day, week, year, or  however long!! It's awesome!!  So that's my missionary lesson to you guys today! I'm glad everything is going well! Continue to do good things!! Things here are going great!! Scripture of the day...Jacob 6:12 :) Read it!!  Love you all!!

Elder Hansen

week 23

Bula mai viti tale!

What's up yall? How's everything going? Sounds like things are going good there! Crazy how fast time flies, huh? Its ridiculous!! Yes I am very very close to the ocean, the village in Saioko is about 15 steps from the ocean. Haha, if a hurricane or something hit there it would be completely done! Thanks for the packages! I'll be waiting for them! I do need a couple things! My t shirts are muddy and moldy and I can't get them out, just from working in the jungle and what not. So if Jace could go get a few shirts just plain colors... black white red blue or whatever just plain t shirts! Also, if you could send a hat or two!? Either the braves, reds or puerto rico one. Ask jace which one he doesn't wear....Vinaka!!! Also if possible, could you maybe call the MTC and ask for President Roger Conners email?? He was my branch pres in the MTC and I want to email him.  Yes we did have zone conference this week and it was really good! This week has been a pretty fun week. Zone conference was very good. We combined with the Suva zone.  We did numbers for the past 3 months and our zone had 47 baptisms the past three months.  We murdered the Suva zone. Haha it was funny! But yeah for one zone, it's pretty dang good. So we did that, then had lunch, then trainings by the President and APs. Pres, Klingler's was really good! A few things I really liked about his was he talking about doing and becoming. He used this... DO+BE=Hypocrisy DO+BE=Self-deception. I can't do it on here  but he crossed out the BE on the first one and the DO on the second one. So you can't do and become but you can't become if you don't do.  It was really good! Also, I related this to sports and things dad has taught me, like what do you do when no coaches are watching?? He did that same thing with the gospel. When no one is watching do we still read the scriptures, do we still pray, do we still act like we are still wearing our badge, you know? It was really good and something to think about ourselves. So I really enjoyed it. It was awesome! Did you guys get the Liahona or Ensign for this month?? It is bomb!!! ALL about the Book of Mormon.  We have been giving it to all of our investigators.  Haha its soo good! And guess what? There is a picture in there and its of people working on a translation in Coban Guatemala, in the Kekchi language!! Haha I was flipping out when I saw that! So I hope you guys are able to get and read it! It's awesome! We have yet to watch conference.  I don't know if we even will. We are trying to get it somehow. The branch in Saioko didn't even know conference was going on.  There is no communication up there. Oh yeah I think I can say something that not a whole lot of missionaries can say.  Haha but we found out that one of our investigators got kidnapped! Haha. She was related to our branch president and he told us that but no big deal here. I guess in the old days guys would steal girls and then marry them. Saioko still lives in the old days so our investigator that we were planning on baptizing very soon is now somewhere married after she got stolen in the middle of the night! We also had a guy tells about cannibalism too! Haha it was crazy!! I have heard some crazy stories this week but I'll wait to tell you. It will take too long! Another way Fijians are crazy is we were cutting wood in the jungle and this marama (old lady) tells me to take a small piece down and she was going to take a huge piece! I was trying to convince her to let me take the big one cause she was going to kill herself! So we get down and she comes down and has the piece of wood on her shoulder perfectly fine.  Elder Key and I were like what the freak! Crazy woman!  The last pday after we emailed, we went to this Indian place to eat and it was me and this other kid. He is white also. We get there and it was like we are rock stars! Two white kids together equals service like no other!  They brought our meal fresh out on separate plates and asked how we wanted it to be.  They put the fan right on us and was just giving us all this stuff . We were laughing sooo hard!!! It was soo funny! Also, cool story! We went to dinner with two elders in their area, and we were talking and one of the guys just got back from his mission about a year ago, and he served in Cali, guess where? In Marcia's ward!!  He knows Marcia, Matt,  and Josh.  Small world!!  I can't remember their last name but I will send a picture next week. Some of the questions you asked...Elder Key is the district leader, so I am learning all the DL duties. I have been wanting to learn more about the behind the scenes stuff' so I'll be paying attention! Yeah, we eat leaves, cabbage, fish, noodles and that's about it! We are still doing training. I love it. Right now, it's more doing things as we teach so it's really good. Everyone in the zone and district are really good. It's fun. Language is doing good. This week has been very busy and we haven't had much time for studies because of going to Suva and all, but its coming.  Just working on learning more words. So I have been writing them down and asking Fijians.  So it's coming slowly. I am trying to be patient. So yeah, that's about all, things are good.  It's been raining like crazy here the past couple days! Tell everyone I say hi! I love you all!! Have fun and enjoy life!! 

Elder Hansen

week 22

Bula vinaka e na mataka lailai vinaka nikua!!! 

Man I am jealous! I want to watch conference so bad! I am not sure what is the deal with that we dont hear about anything in our area unless we are in town which is twice a week. Things here are great!!! We had the baptism!! It was a very good one...Vani, she is 16-17 years old and she is awesome! I can really tell she has the desire to learn and always sharing her testimony.  It is awesome! She is a great example to everyone around her and her desire to learn. I had the opportunity to conduct the baptism which was cool. Dad, I am sorry that I gave you that impression! Haha no its not boring, but I guess what I meant was, no baptism commitments or anything like that. Just taught lessons and what not. I dont even know what I am saying haha but no things are not boring. My comp and I have gotten a lot closer in the past couple weeks and things are going good!! We got a new investigator this week. Its our branch presidents niece. She lived in another city but she moved because her mom was beating her(not the normal fijian beating) She is a very nice girl and I think the gospel is exactly what she needs right now so we will be starting to teach her this week. One of our investigators in Saioko, Saula.  At first he barely said aword and when he did, it was a whisper. The last couple times we have seen him he has been laughing and what not. He asks us questions and stuff, its awesome! We have built that trust with him and he is willing to talk about certain things with us. He has a smoking problem so we are working with him on that and he and his girlfriend need to get married so we are working with that as well and they both will be baptized.  From what I hear marriages are much easier than divorces. Still waiting on the 3 divorces :( haha its annoying!! We have another really good one, Susana. She comes to church everyweek and she loves reading the Book of Mormon and just awesome! She is one of the divorces though haha and she is still praying to Jesus so we will be talking about that real soon too. Yesterday we went to church in Nasautoka and it was a great meeting...Confirmed Vani and then testimonies...A few people got up and thanked Elder Key and I for our work, and how day or night, rain or sun, hot or cold, we are always working in the village helping people and it was a really good feeling to know how much they appreciated it and how we are helping them. They have been really good lately to help us with their friends so I think some good things will continue to happen there. Umm two random things...first, I love cucumbers!! Haha they are soo good! And second, I have decided that cows are the laziest animals ever!!! They are always walking in the middle of the road or on the side laying down or eating grass. Haha!! But yeah this week was a very good week! Transfers are probably November. We have Zone Conference Wednesday so Im excited for my first one! Its crazy I have been out like 5 months or however long it is.  Haha time flies by so fast!! In our comp study today, we were talking about the priesthood lesson in church yesterday,about Alma the younger.  We were reading it again in Alma 36,  his repentance process...its a great example of true repentance. Verse 20 talks about how his joy was as exceeding as his pain...alot of pain he felt but when he truly repented, thats how much happiness he had. Then Jeremiah 7:23-24 talks about obeying. Verse 24 talks about how we move backward when we dont obey not forward and this life is for us to progress and move forward and when we dont repent or obey, we are just moving ourselves backwards. I think this goes with everything in life.  Two quotes that I read recently that I have now started to read a lot is first, "Hell is when the person you are, meets the person you could have been" second, " If I keep doing what I have always done, I will get what I always got...Therefore...to be what I am not, I must do what I do not." I really like these and it tells us to always move forward and learn and grow and do everything we can to become better in everything we do. So that's my two cents for the day! Haha, hope all is well! Things are going great! I am still very happy and love being a missionary, I am healthy and am having fun! Tell everyone I say hi! Oh yeah funny story haha so world cup is going on right now...last night Fiji lost to Wales 66-0 EMBARRASSING!!! Hahaha they are not happy here!! but anyway have a great week!! Vinaka sara vakalevu! Love you all and miss you all!! Moce!

Elder Hansen

week 21

What's new family!? First off....HECK YEAH!!!! Way to go on the walk! Keep going!! At first you will be sore but after a little bit, it will become natural!! That's awesome! We got our baptismal interview done and she passed with flying colors! I talked in church Sunday.  Our branch president told us before the meeting but it was all good. We went on exchanges for the weekend. I was with Elder Ta'ufo'ou from Australia. He's a good guy. We get along well. He has been out for a little over a year and he barely talked in the lessons and I talked longer than him in Sacrament. It was surprising. I like going on exchanges to see how other missionaries teach and do things. It's a really good thing to do. I talked on repentance and I guess it was ok.  I felt like I was saying things correctly for the most part but I don't know! Haha.  One thing that I have definitely learned is how blessed myself and all of us are. I definitely took it for granted before those blessings but we really are soooo lucky... it's ridiculous!! I have continued my reading. I am in Exodus in the OT.  I also am studying PMG a lot too.  I love PMG its awesome and I learn something everyday...I love reading the scriptures.  Today in Jacob 1, Jacob talks about how good Nephi was and how everyone loved him.  When Nephi died,  I was thinking of the person Nephi was and he was a boss!!! Always obedient to Heavenly Father and Lehi and he knew that if he trusted in the Lord, he could do anything and he always tried to help others know that same thing even if they tried to kill him and what not. Also I can't remember what chapter, I think Jacob 2,  it talks about how the Lamanites because of their iniquities lost their wives and confidence of their children because of their bad example...I thought of  you two and the awesome examples you have been to me...I couldn't ask for better parents and you have taught me sooo much!! I am very grateful and everything I do and everything I learn and have been blessed with, you have been a big part of that! So Vinaka sara vakalevu!!! Thank you very much!! Oh yeah hahah I found my ice cream here!!!! It's at a store in town close to our flat and every time we go in town, I get it!  I got it at 7:30 in the morning the other day. I love it!! I do miss eating meat too haha. We don't eat meat at all in our area. I am craving a big juicy five guys burger! Oh well ha everyone says I am skinny now! I went into the MTC 190 and I am back to 175!  Well,  I hope all is well!! Things here are good no worries! Continue to enjoy life and party hardy! Haha love you all!! Kalougata Tiko

Elder Hansen

week 20

Bula family!

There was an earthquake?? HA! Didn't know that! Haha well that's no good. Sounds like the family is doing good. I'm glad to hear that! Things this week were pretty good. We have a baptism set up for Oct 1 which is good.  She is a 15 or 16 year old girl, she's awesome! Divorces are still not done, don't know when they will be. We had a very cool experience on Friday. So we do FHE with an investigator family every Friday and we had no idea what to share, both of our minds were blank. So we prayed, and then I had a thought Families can be together forever! Elder Key was thinking about it and said yeah that's what we need to share. Then it all came together. We talked about the temple and then the two of us sang the song "Families can be together forever" to them. Come to find out, the family got in a little fight during the week and they were so grateful for us sharing with them about families. It really strengthened them, it was awesome! So the work is still moving forward and progressing. This week my Fijian was a pretty good.  I felt like I wasn't thinking about what to say, it was just coming out, but still a long way to go!! Some days are better than others. But I'm still working at it. Every Monday and Tuesday we travel to Nausori Town to do emails and stuff. We sleep over at some other elders flats because it's closer. No we didn't eat the eel haha. It was gross huh? Haha good times. We don't eat a lot of fruits. Every time we go to town to shop I buy some apples. Our food consists of rourou which is just leaves cooked, noodles, fish and rice. I have lost 5 pounds haha. We are in Suva actually right now and two of the elders, the first thing they said to me was dang you look skinny! Ha not good! Heck yeah Utah!!! That's what I like to hear!! They looking good or BYU suck?  I'll send some more pictures next week so you can see the jungle! Well have a good week this week, have fun and don't party too hard!!  Love you guys!

Elder Hansen

week 19

Bula Bula Bula!

Man! Sheila's thing was awesome! I printed it out and am going to keep it! We all email each other every week as one big email and then I have been emailing Tim, Tanner, Spenny, its awesome! Things this week were pretty good. We set up a baptism date for Oct 1st, she is a really good investigator! The divorces are not done yet unfortunately.  We hope soon! We have a goal as a district for 21 baptisms by October and we are at 14 right now.  I think most of them are us, but these divorces don't look like they will be done by then but oh well. A lot of people don't know their birthdays or full names. One of the baptisms we had my first week  just got her birthday yesterday. Her own parents didn't even know it. It's crazy. We have one investigator that is awesome. We were explaining what we would be teaching the next lesson and it was the apostasy and restoration. She was like wait...."If it had to be restored, then it would have had to be lost?? Want to know what came to my mind?? HALLELUJAH!!!!!! Hahaha I just started laughing, she is a very smart girl!  Language is alright.  Trying to be patient! I did receive the package this week! It was in good condition too, man those cakes were sooooo good!!!! The caramel one was amazing!! My health is fine, the boil is almost all the way gone which is good!  I can't wait for you to see the videos and pictures, hahaha. Speaking of pictures, I attached two today. We went fishing!  We were walking up and down the river in Nasautoka fishing. They use a net tied to two sticks and shove it in the ground and then lift up the weeds on the sides that they all hide in and force water into the net,. It's really cool.  But we caught a huge crab, and then a freakin river eel! Haha It was huge!! One of the girls was stepping on it trying not to let it go and then it got out then a kid sliced it with the machete.  It was awesome! In this training, we were studying about members and ward councils, which does not exist in Fiji. Dad since you are in the bishopric, help the missionaries! It is such a big help! The video was one with Shelisa Payne in it and it was so good!!  How are the missionaries and the work in our ward?? One example of members here in Fiji. We were visiting the strongest members in our area and they were telling us that the Elders Quorum President asked the wife to bless the sacrament......Really? They just don't know! I have decided also that when I get home, that Dad and Daren are going to teach me about cars!! Haha just throwing that out there! So thats about all this week! Things are great here! Start saving money now to come out here!! Seriously!! It's awesome! Hope all is well  back home! Tell everyone I say hi! Love you all!! Thanks for everything!

Elder Hansen

week 18

Ni Sa Bula!!

Whats new my fam? Thats not good about Z, at least it will finally get fixed, its been killing him forever...can you tell Bonnie to have him email?? Thanks! Yeah things with the comp were better this week, its up and down but it was good this week. Transfers yes and I think there will be one coming up real soon. No one from our district got transferred but one of the ZL's did, not Hillyard. Zone Conference is coming up in I think October... so soon. 4 months has gone by sooo fast!! Its crazy! Time flies! Health is going good and the boil is doing better. Haha no comment on that! I haven't received the package yet, hopefully today. Thats sweet about Kensi.  That would be tight if we were comps. So the work is slow but its progressing. We have investigators, some really good ones, so we are just being patient teaching them. We should have 2 baptism dates this next week. We are still waiting on 3 divorces to be cleared, once they are its going to be awesome! So its still going good, just slow. We have one invesitgator Sala from Nasautoka and both of us are so confused with her haha. Its very hard to teach her because everytime there are kids running around yelling jumping on us and her and what not.  At times it feels like she is not paying attention but when we come back she remembers everything that we talked about before and she is very quiet. We are trying to get her to come to church and she says she knows its true. Fijians will say things to make you happy and not offend you and what not even if they dont mean it so we are trying to really find out what she is thinking and if she really knows its true. She is definitely the toughest one so far.  We'll figure it out one day and who knows maybe we just plant the seed and not get anything done with her but if she figures it out 5 years from now so be it you know. So now its time to list the things on my planner haha i always right things to tell you guys so here it is... You know how some people greet each other and kiss on the cheek or forehead or something?? Well Fijians smell each other. Haha its weird. Tim Glenn says hi! I saw a lizard eat a fly in our flat the other day haha. Mom you are lucky you aren't Fijian because there is a member and two of the sons that are married both live at home still. Haha so you got it easy!! I went to the bathroom the other day and yeah no TP, of course.  So i totally used my notebook paper. Haha it was a great time! People still don't believe that I am 19. haha everyone always says "Hansen, Fit tiko!!"  like meaning I am in shape and fit. Its funny. It rained sooo much yesterday.  In Sai Oko during church, its opened air and it was so loud, we couldnt hear who was talking at all. It was nuts...Also one of the best things this week, I found two scriptures that tell us to get fat!! Haha look up Proverbs 28:25 and 2 Nephi 9:51 (It took me 3 times to spell Nephi in english haha i couldnt remember!) I was laughing so hard when I found those though.  It was awesome. Fijian is coming along ok.  We set up an actual study plan this week so hopefully that will help alot. We started to write letters and what not and have the Fijian kids in Nasutoka read them and correct them. So i think that will help alot...I gave a spiritual thought to one of our investigators by myself but still a looooonnnngggg way to go! Just keep on working! Toso ki liu! Well I am glad all is well and things are going good! Tell everyone I say hi and send my love to the ward! Things here are good no worries :) Thanks for everything in my life and all the support. I am truly blessed that I have the parents i have and my entire family. I think about you guys everyday and the things that you have taught me and I am very grateful more than I have ever been before so I thank you very very very much!!! Love you guys!! Kalougata Tiko!Elder Hansen

week 17

Man these weeks fly by so fast!!! I swear I emailed like two days ago! haha Things on the other side of the world are doing good! Cowdens leave Wednesday?? That is crazy! Time goes by so fast! Nothing too new with investigators. We have two that really want to get baptized. One guy about 22 and a girl about 17. We just need to get through the lessons. We are still waiting on three divorces to get cleared and after that we should have about 5 from those to be baptized. So nothing so far right now. Just slowing moving forward..The one with all the friends is very good!! All the friends thing still confuses me. I dont get what she was saying haha but she is a very good investigator...She loves everything we share. The only thing we need to work on is for her to stop saying "Jisu" in the middle of prayers. Haha its funny though. I have met everyone in the zone and they are all alright, a few that are so so but I only see them on p day and district meeting. Last p day was actually fun though. We went to Hibiscus, its a carnival in Suva, it was way fun. Hahah the boil thing is getting better. It feels a lot better but still healing. We had Dr. Nelson and Dr. Hillyard (ZL's) do surgery on it one night. Hahah wow!!! We took pictures and videos that I am NOT sending home!! Youll have to wait til I get home. Haha it was gross! It was so funny though. Its doing better now and I am feeling a lot better. I have been drinking more water and eating a lot of apples too. The training is still going good. I am keeping the thing the entire time so I can always review it. Its really good, I love it. The Mission President is good. I only see him when I go to Suva which is not every often but he and Sister Klingler are great. I like them alot. Yeah money is good, we get 130 every two weeks that they put on a card that we got when we got here so I just use that. We are usually pretty solid with food. One of the elders actually said today that he thinks I lost weight. I cant tell but oh well. I set up this new work out schedule but then I got the boil and got sick so once its gone Im going to start doing that. now. I recieved the family newsletter from Grandma the other day. Hahaha Darens explanation about YC was sooo funny. I was laughing so hard!! Thats also way cool about Kents calling, how does he feel about that? The other day we get back to the flat and we have no water at all! Our tank was completely empty...the pipe broke and all leaked out...so we had no water for about a day or two. Haha it sucked but its fixed now. Hey whats Keatons email?? I want to email him (can someone send me Keatons's email address? Thanks) The language is alright. Some days are better than others but I know i cant get frustrated. I just need what do what I can each day.I just want to speak it! Tell everyone I say hi. Things here are going good. Fiji is awesome and its crazy to see how the gospel changes peoples lives and how Heavenly Father works in peoples lives. Its awesome. I am very happy to be a missionary! And no we dont sleep on actual beds haha. When i get home I am going straight to a chiropractor and getting a massage!! I still sleep good for the most part, but it would be nice to have an actual bed and not a little foam thing. Thats so funny about Jordyn! Not going to lie, I found the Jordyn of Fiji! She always runs to me and holds my hand and stuff... so funny but NO ONE WILL EVER replace Jordyn!!! Tell them I say hi and tell Jordyn I miss her! Anyway thats about all for today! Thank you for all the love and support in my life. One thing I have for sure learned is how much you guys have done for me. I wouldnt be here and be who I am without you guys..Thank you so much! I love you guys so much!! Miss you and love you all!!! Kalougata Tiko! 

Elder Hansen

P.S. Jordyn used to live next door to us. She is 4 years old. She told her Dad today that she is concerned Shane will have a girlfriend when he gets home. She doesn't want anyone to be his girlfriend but HER! She is so funny and so cute!