week 89

Bula my family!

Sounds really really cold...I don't like it. Good thing I come home in the

summer! Man you guys are getting all high tech on me now! Being on the

mission, my technology knowledge has gone out the door! I dont even know how

to burn a cd or do things on the USB thing! Ha too complicated! WE had a

good week this week. We only had 2 days of work this week. All this

traveling is a bit annoying.  We are never in the area! But thats how it is,

so we just adjust! We had some good things happen though. Suva was good.  I

saw a bunch of people from Tamavua...I miss that place!! That place was soo

fun!  We were in Suva and Labasa from Tuesday-Friday. So pretty much Monday

night, Saturday and Sunday were our working days this week. We go to Rabi

today, come back tomorrow, Wednesday we go to Suva again for our Zone

Leaders meeting, and comeback Thursday so it will be the same thing but

luckily this week we will have more time in the area. We were supposed to go

last week, but didn't work out so we are going today .We only had 3 lessons

this week  but we were able to get some good things done though. We sat down

with our Branch President and went through the whole member list and he

wrote down less actives for us to go visit. So we will be going with him in

the next couple weeks to visit them. We have quite of few people we will be

contacting from OYMs next week. We also went out to Vunivesi where the unit

is.  We helped them with something's out there. We went to church out there

too on Sunday. We spent a lot of time talking with members this week. Trying

to get members going in the missionary work. So we are hoping to be pretty

busy this next week. One thing we were way happy about was one area in

Taveuni, Somosomo...We did our training on OYM and  two of our missionaries

are very very shy and quiet. They would always get the lowest OYMs in the

zone. Well this week they got the highest!! We called them and praised them

for their work and asked about their experiences with OYMing and what

inspired them to do so many and what not. They both were really happy and

excited about it. They both said just once you start doing it, it becomes

easier. I was really proud of both of them.  We really try to encourage and

inspire them to get out of their comfort zone. They showed it this week and

so we challenged them to keep it going every week. We are improving in the

OYMs but now its just to make it consistent. So we will continue to move

forward with them. Today I studied a talk from President Eyring he shared

this past conference I believe..."Help to Aim High".  I really love that

talk, something I felt I have learned in my mission is this...really just

trying to help missionaries and investigators realize the things they can do

and potential they have. Through the gospel, we are able to reach that

potential, because why?? God is on our side, he will be there to help us! I

definitely saw that with these two elders in Taveuni.

Here in Savusavu, we are in the finding phase. We do not have a lot of

investigators, we have dropped quite a bit lately. We have a had a lot of

OYM in the past few weeks, but not much has come from those. We received a

few referrals this week.  We will be going with our branch president to see

them when we get back from Suva. We were very happy with one this week that

came to church for the first time. He was being taught before I got here and

he works late nights. He is always very excited when we come and agrees with

everything we say. Its been tough to judge whether its from the heart or

just saying it.  We have committed him to church for weeks now, but never

came. So we were thinking very soon to drop him for a while. Last week,

Elder LeDoux and Elder Naivanawalu went to go pick him up  but he said he

just wanted to sleep. That has been tough  because his "sleeping time" is

during church hours. So we decided this last lesson we would be the deciding

factor to drop him or not. We decided to just ask questions and really

listen. He mentioned before we met, he was always angry, but from the

lessons, his anger is gone. So we helped him to recognize the blessings he

has received and as he continues to act on the things we share, he will

continue to see the change in his life. Well, Brother Jimmy really did come

to church this time! He really enjoyed it and said he will be there next

week! We really saw the Spirit work with him and just help him know he will

be blessed for putting the gospel first. So we will be moving slowly with

him  but it was a huge step for him to come to church. We were very happy

for him! We still have a couple we are working with but we haven't been able

to see them since we have been gone..So hopefully things will start to pick

up.

One really cool experience that I am not sure if I mentioned already or not.

When we were on exchanges in Nabua, Elder Olsen and I blessed this man, who

wasn't a member. His nephew is a less active member and his wife is taking

lessons.  His toe was all messed up and they said that he hasnt been able to

walk  for a year now. It wasnt healing at all, and so they are pretty sure

something cursed him, like witchcraft...yes still happens here. So we

blessed him, and I was the voice and just said, if there is anything

involved with the devil,I command it to go away and that you will be

healed...along those lines. I keep on thinking how I said it Fijian and it

would not make sense to you guys! ha (if I wrote it how i am thinking right

now, it would not make sense at all, so sorry! This still might not make

sense to you guys).  Anyway a few days later, they all told Elder Olsen that

he walked to some far place and then just yesterday they said its healing,

and he is walking fine now...Power of the Priesthood! We taught the lady

about the priesthood the day before that and now she saw what it can do. I

think it really helped the less active too because him and his wife both

were at church on Sunday.There was a different feeling around him.  So Elder

Olsen is going to see that  guy we blessed this week and try to teach him.

It was really cool though. After a year of his toe being in pain and not

being able to walk very well...It shows how strong the power of God is and

how weak Satan is! Hearing all these witchcraft stories is pretty crazy, but

to Him from above...to those who have faith...it's nothing! So yeah,  that

was a really good experience...

Well all this well here. I was asked  which airport I want to fly home

to...that's not a good sign...but not going to worry about it, just keep on

working hard! Love you guys! Continue to read the scriptures and pray

everyday! More than once! multiple times...

Loloma tu yani!

Elder Hansen

week 88

Hello family!! How’s it going?? Dad don’t worry about the machete thing. If I can’t do it then I won’t force it but I have heard of a lot of people doing it haha but no worries nothing illegal will be done! Man it sounds really cold there! It’s been way hot here the past few days. We went to Taveuni not Rabi. We are going to Rabi tomorrow and coming back on Wednesday and then Wednesday night we go to Suva so we will only be in the area for about 2 days this week. We go to Suva again next week, I believe,  for a Zone Leaders meeting ha, so it’s really busy. Taveuni went really good. We had a good training there and got really good feedback from the Elders there about it. We did it at the Senior Couples home, Elder and Sister Sherry. They are from Oregon. They have a way nice house! She made us lunch and one of the best German chocolate cakes I’ve ever had! I mean I haven’t had that many but it was dang good! It rained a lot over there though and we were walking  but it was all good. We got back and tried to see a few people. We saw a girl named Tupou that we have been teaching. Her dad is a member but way way way less active. He is very active in the 7th day church. She is awesome though… we had a really good lesson with her. We have committed her to baptism a few time but she’s already been baptized and all those things you know. So we have kept on working with her and the good thing about it is she reads and prays a lot! So it’s just a matter of time and helping her to connect the dots. Well for the first time she said the Book of Mormon was true and Joseph Smith was a true prophet. So we asked about baptism again and she said she now understands that the authority needs to be there. She didn’t fully commit but we are not focusing on church because she hasn’t come to church yet so we mainly focused on that. So she is moving forward...Sooo close!!! It was a really good lesson. One thing I have definitely learned about teaching is some of the best lessons feel like discussions. I felt like we were just talking about it, not really "preaching" to say. So we are hoping to see her at church very soon.  Inoke, the older man, hasn’t come to church. We have been trying to work with members to pick him up but nothing has happened yet. We are just trying to find new investigators, we have had a lot of OYMs but no new investigators so it’s been tough...Toso tiko ga! We did exchanges also with the Tacilevu elders. I went up to their area…Nabua. It was pretty good, their area is moving pretty slow too but we found a less active and his wife who is taking lessons ...This less active hasn’t been to church for a long time! His father was one of the ones who started the church on this side of the island. So it was good to see him there. The branch president is really good...President Kalougata. That guy has some crazy stories!! He is strong in the church! One of his stories was in the Ensign back in 2004. It’s called "The Only Survivor" if you want to look it up ha it’s pretty cool. If you read that story and think about his name...the meaning of his name in Fijian is "blessed". We had a really good lesson with one of their investigators too...her husband was drunk but it was still a good lesson. She definitely felt the spirit. We taught her about the plan of salvation...Mainly our life on earth. It was very good.. We met with another less active who was also drunk. He hasn’t been to church also in the longest time. He was going off about how he was going to be the president of Fiji in the church and how God is preparing him to lead Fiji...Just a lot of random stuff but yeah they will go back to see him at a time when he’s sober ha...uhh what else...oh yeah Dad I am reading right now the D&C. I have not yet started  the Book of Mormon again. My reading in D&C so far has been awesome though. I had a really good study today. I have been wanting to write in my study journal more during personal study but I didn’t know a good way to do it or how to do it. I didn’t just want to write everything and what not but then it clicked! haha So I had a good study that actually went into my study journal. That is one thing I wish I would have learned way earlier is how to do a study journal but I want to continue with it even after. I few scriptures from section 35 and section 38... about how God calls the weak things of the world to "thrash" the world by His spirit. The word thrashed stood out to me. I looked it up in the dictionary (which I use a lot now...English that is) It means to beat violently. But another one that sounded better was to defeat heavily. I have had many experiences and testimonies about this. It reminded me of a talk Dad gave me by Elder Bednar.  When we are clueless we rely more upon heaven...That is the key...Joseph Smith could in no way, do what he did , if he didn’t rely upon heaven. That’s why we need to be humble, recognize our weaknesses and go to God and rely on Him, He will be there to help us. Another one was from Section 38.."hear my words, and follow me and you shall be a free people". This also reminded me of a scripture from John 8:32 "The truth shall make you free" It’s not rocket science...yes its difficult at times, but if we always remember what we can receive when we follow His words. We will be free. Free can mean many different things to us in different situations. So yeah that is just a little insight from my studies today. It’s hard to study all the time like this because I have so many other things to study about, investigators, trainings and what not...But I am trying to do as often as possible. That’s one thing I am excited for though is to go back to institute. I was reminded of my patriarchal blessing..."As you organize your time and efforts to study the scriptures, your mind and understanding will be increased. I have learned to love the scriptures and want learn as much as I can. I know it’s a lifelong task, but I want to do my best at it. Things are busy, new missionaries come in a week or two I think...Uhh yeah things are good...So hope everyone gets better! Love you guys!

Elder Hansen

week 87

Hello family! Man it is definitely not cold here. Haha that is one thing I

am not looking forward too! Haha pops......why in the world do you need 3

laptops??? Please explain that one to your son here!!! I will be waiting to

hear "when you come home, you will get one of them!" Well sounds like you

guys had a party on New Years! Haha I did too...making graphs and dealing

with a bunch of numbers til one in the morning for our training haha. That

sounds fun though! Thats sweet you saw Phllips and Etu...Isa man! Thats

weird everyone is home and will be coming home shortly. Well I am in Taveuni

right now, we just rode the boat in like an hour ago. We will be going to

Rabi probably next week. We had a good 3 hour bus ride and then a 1.5 hours

or so on the boat...I am tired. Well we had a pretty good week this week. We

had our Zone Training Meeting on Tuesday in Savusavu. Everyone on Vanua Levu

came and then tomorrow we will do the Taveuni one. But it went really well!

We shared a lot from Preach My Gospel, watched some video clips and did some

good role playing. It was on Finding, with an emphasis on OYMs. We all say

we can go into any house in Fiji, but why dont we?? Haha that was kind of

the theme...Every opportunity you get, GO!! In Fiji lots of people will call

out from the house "Mai cegu", Mai kana!" which means come rest and come

eat. Usually, you just say thank you and say which way your going...But when

they call out..GO! You can just say oh next time we can come eat, but we are

missionaries so then OYM them. So we challenged everyone to get a least 14 a

week. The average now is like 5, haha not good! We are trying to get

everyone out of the mentality that 10 is good  but we want to get to where

20 is good and keep going up. We had 29 this week in Savusavu. In the call

ins on Sunday, almost every area hit the goal! It was awesome! So hopefully

it will continue to go up. Sister Terry said that it was the best training

she's been to yet...haha(she was just being nice) She really enjoyed it. So

hopefully we will get that same reacton and result from the elders here in

Taveuni. We have been getting a lot more organized in our records. We have

made a 2012 folder so all the info we have will be in that folder for Elders

after us wanting to look at the numbers. We are doing a 2013 folder and

dividing it organized quarter by quarter.  We have given everyone things to

reoraganize their area books and really nice maps of each area. Trying to

make it very neat and organized. We made these area sheets  that describes

the area and what not and we will have the yearly goals for the area on that

and laminate it and put it in the area so everyone who comes in will know

exactly what the year goals are. We couldn't find any goals or numbers for

most of the year anywhere so we are working on that. After the ZTM we all

ate at Captains Cafe, there are some pics there of it. You eat on the deck

thing. Wednesday the APs came and we did exchanges. It went pretty good. We

mainly OYMed, a lot of people are still gone for the holidays. It was Elder

Hawks birthday and so we ate dinner at the Muirs house, delicious German

Chocolate cake!! Sister Terry also baked a cake...man so good! On Thursday

we went to Vunivesi to have dinner. I replaced Hawk here in Savusavu so he

knows everyone, and we had dinner out there. New Years, they do what is

called Veisui...So you get each other wet...SO we ran around the village

with bottles and buckets and what not and got each other wet haha it was

good. We were interacting with a lot of the non members in the village so

hopefully they will open up more to us. It was way fun...we got soaked.

Dinner was way good too! They cook dang good food! Oh yeah right when the

APs got here, Tacilevu elders and Rabi elders were still here and all of us

were "family in the mission" We were all father and sons... it was way

cool...Tremea and I...Hawk and Tamuera...Stock and LeDoux...Olsen and

Naivanawalu.  Sorry I will send pictures next week, I dont have my camera

stuff. The pictures I sent I forwarded from Sister Terry. Thursday also we

had really good service. I bought a isele..machete thing I guess you would

say. I have been wanting to buy for the longest time, but just never got

around to it, so I finally got my own. It does magic!  I have started D&C in

my personal reading. I'm excited for it. We are also teaching the english

sunday school class and its D&C this year so its going to be good! I am

going to try to finish it by Zone Conference which is next month sometime

and then start The Book of Mormon again. I have also decided I am going to

read PMG front to back in Fijian before I leave too...Lets get to work!! So

yeah things are going good! We are struggling getting people to come to

church so no baptisms yet. We are trying to work with the members to help us

with those investigators, but it's moving slowly.  We're trying to find

those who are ready! Masu tiko vakaukauwa. This week we have found ourselves

helping the Branch President and the Clerk with this whole MLS system that

we dont even know about . Our branch president knows NOTHING about

computers!! Haha its been a funny experience! The Branch President talks to

us and relies on us a lot. He was just called branch president in August so

he is still learning and trying to figure all this stuff out let a lone

trying to figure out a computer!  He made some new callings which I thought

were very good moves, but he mentioned he feels some people might be a

little angry or what not ha so hopefully nothing bad will turn out. He is an

awesome guy and he is just trying to do everything the way it needs to be

done. In the missionary handbook it says, you are loyal first to the Lord,

then to your mission president, and then to your companion. Same rule

applies here...So he is doing good! We have a great relationship with him.

SO yeah that was the week! Well hope all is well! Get better!! Love you

guys!! Moce oha!

Elder Hansen

week 86

Mi'au ba bula re! How's it? Sounds like all is well back home.  Well we

were only in our area  for 2 days this week. We were in Labasa and Suva the

rest of the  time. It was good though. It's been busy! We had our Zone

Leaders  Council and we had waffles for breakfast!! The first time I have

had  waffles! Soo good!! We had a good meeting, it was much better than

last months. A lot better discussion and ideas. President is good, he is

happy with our goals and the things we are doing here in the  North Zone. I

didn't get shirts, I just got some more garments and  a new study journal.

Next time I go I will get some. Yeah so we  planned out the month of

January. We will only be in the area for  about 15 days or so.  We go to

Suva twice, transfers, we go to Rabi, and  Taveuni next week...ha it's going

to be busy! Anyways, Suva was  good, we came  back with so many things! We

were lucky to get it  all on the plane! 32 Books of Mormon, packages, more

mail, Ensigns, things for the Terry's and whatever else. We came back from

Suva  and the Terry's picked us up. We worked with the District Leader in

Labasa and did exchanges that night. Saturday morning, the Terry's took  us

back to Savusavu so we had like 4 lessons for the week.  We are busy

getting ready for our Zone Training meeting tomorrow, getting our training

finalized about finding and getting goals and  numbers and what not. It's

been really busy. I have finally finished one personal journal! ha I feel

ashamed!! It look me so long to do  it! I looked back at the first part of

my mission and I didn't write a  lot! Now I write a lot more, but yeah I

wish I had the desire back  then like I do now! I also finished The Book of

Mormon today...I love it! Its awesome! One thing I really noticed today was

the word "Exhort". It  is used 9 times in chapter 10...What does it mean?

Why would Moroni  use that word for what he is saying? He shows us his

feelings about  the message he writes. He knows it's true and will bless

us...It puts  more emphasis on it or more meaning, it's awesome! Yesterday

we got a list of all the people in the branch who needs  ordinations and

what not...So we are going to work with our Branch  President and work with

home teaching to visit all these people and  help them come back/receive

these very very important things! Haha it was hilarious! So our branch

president doesn't know anything about computers...NOTHING!! We were showing

him Google maps on the MLS thing  and where the chapel was and all and man

he was absolutely amazed! It  was the funniest thing ever!  You had to be

there! So yeah! Oh, yeah your questions about the sandals...don't worry

about it! :) Yes  both of them are gone, but the ones I am wearing are fine.

We wear  flip flops a lot too so when I get home, I will most likely wear

flip  flop or go bare foot honestly! Haha eh pops???...In Labasa they had

these sweet jerseys I bought. One is a Fiji one, and then one is a  Pacific

one. It has parts of the rugby jerseys of Fiji, Tonga, Samoa,  and New

Zealand ha its sweet! Cheap too! So yeah all is well! We should have a good

week this week hopefully, the APs will be coming for exchanges.  Everyone is

still gone on holidays so that still puts  a damper on things...OYM! Well,

take it easy! Have a good week!! Love you guys!!

Elder Hansen