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