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