week 94

Hello Everyone,

Shane was having issues with his computer today. He wrote a long email twice and both times as soon as he tried to send it the computer wiped out the email. He had a good week. He bore his testimony at his last zone conference this week. Reality is setting that he will be coming home soon! They have a baptism scheduled for this week and a few more in March. So all is well.

Right now his release date is May 9^th but we have not received an official letter from the church. That is what he has been told. I have asked the bishop if he can speak on May 19^th. So that is the plan for right now. I will let you know if anything changes.

Hope all is well with each of you. Hopefully there will be a longer email next week. Have a good week.

Love you all,

Joni

week 93

Bula vinaka my fmaily!!

Sounds like things are going well. We are going to Labasa after this for our

Zone Conference tomorrow. Tonight will be the zone activity but our

volleyball picnic didn't get approved. So we are having a small dinner in

the evening and then playing 2 games. It should be pretty fun. Then tomorrow

will be our conference. We have our training ready and all. It will be my

last zone conference...haha weird. So I heard from Elder Inu, my MTC comp,

that he thought that our date to leave is May 9th. I am not 100 percent

positive, but that could be it...so yeah FYI.

So that second picture I sent you is pretty cool eh?? haha That guy has been

hookin us up! So I think this week I might buy a couple other things from

him...Anything you guys want??

So I was talking to the elders from Tamavua and Wailoku, my last area, They

are tearing up!!! They are doing awesome! There have been like 3 or 4 people

I think that I taught there that has been baptized! Its awesome! I was

stoked when I heard that! When we got there, it was DEAD! So I was very

happy!

This week we were in the area the whole week! We had 19 lessons this week!

Very good week! Our baptisms are still planned. Tupou was sketch, because of

her parents, she thought they would get mad, but she asked and they said yes

and then at church, she was like so what day can I get baptized?  Haha we

were happy. We still need to work with her on a couple things to help her be

very firm and what not. So we are still planning to have at least 4 baptisms

in March, hopefully 6, but we are still working with the other two. It's

been busy! We have also been helping our Branch President with his tithing

settlement and 4th quarter reports from last year.  It's been tough because

we don't know how MLS works either! Luckily Elder Terry has been able to

help us. Man, this District with money is not so good!! The Senior couples

have been very busy and stressed trying to get all this stuff figured out.

The auditors are coming out this next week so I am sure there will be some

investigations. The Senior couples are HUGE!!! On this island a lot of

people have no idea what or how to do things.  So that's another challenge

on this island because as missionaries a lot of times you need to be there

to help. Our branch president is awesome though. He was called last August

or September and he doesn't give the check book to anyone. He is changing

things to how its supposed to be done.  So every now and then within the

week we go over to help them. He is also head of security at one of the

shopping places here and they have just begun a huge investigation with a

robbery. So he has been involved with that too so we know he has a lot on

his shoulders, so we try to help him as much as we can.. Hes the man!

I finished reading Doctrine and Covenants on Saturday...I achieved my goal!

I was looking back 2 weeks ago and i thought I wasnt going to be able to

finish it  but then just last week I was really close.  So yeah it was

awesome. I want to go into Jesus the Christ a bit and start again the Book

of Mormon.

Well, my Mother, our service we had planned got cancelled! So I had to

adjust and we were at the flat a lot of the day that day, doing studies and

cleaning a bit but what I did was just really thanked and showed how

grateful we were for this member who has been an awesome help with 2 of our

investigators this couple, Orisi and Seriani.  So it wasn't how I wanted it

to be, but it was something small and I felt like he appreciated it...So

yeah. Haha.

Well I believe that is all! We are going to eat lunch after this and then

head to Labasa...Hope you guys have a good week! Tell pops I say hi! Things

are going good! Its weird how fast time flies...just about

2 more months...I was thinking back to my first area and how clueless I was

and how much I thought I knew  but how much I really didnt know!

I've definitely seen the growth! Love you guys! Take it easy! kalougata

tiko!

Elder Hansen

week 92

Ni bula vinaka! Well we had a great week this week! Our whole zone had a

very good week! We were in our area this whole week and we got some good

things done. We did have to go to Labasa once...so that was it, but it was

only a few hours. Im not sure if Ill be transferred or not.  I am having

mixed feelings right now. I want to because it would be cool to go to

another area, since I only have 4 haha and if I did, it would be sweet to go

to the Suva zone leaders area.  But I would be really happy also if I didn't

because work is picking up and we are planning for a few baptisms in March

so it would be sweet and the members here are really cool...So either way,

Ill be happy! There are a lot of missionaries that worry about the

transfers, they will have transfer list for months and months with their

guesses and what not, but for me its whatever, haha, whatever happens, the

Lord is in charge so it will all work out! I got the box! Thank you! Man I

ate one of those valentine cakes...It was hard to eat! Really sweet! haha

You dont really eat sweets here, so if I eat a lot of them, I cant eat very

much of it. It was awesome though... thank you.

Well lets see....This week we had 5 new invesitgators and 4 people at church

this week! We have 3 kids from Vunivesi and 2 Rabians that live with our

branch president. So we are getting quite a bit now. They have all been to

church too which is awesome. We have a goal for 5 baptism dates this week.

Orisi and Seriana are two we got last week. Haha man...one of our lessons

with them this week was so hard!! We were in the lesson and 3 of the kids

were crying their heads off and running around all over the place.  It would

get quiet and then loud again, it was hard to teach. Then all of a sudden we

had chickens running around in the middle of us! Haha it was hectic! They

are pretty good though.  We have a really good member who helps them a lot.

So it's good. The 3 kids, are very shy and dont talk a lot.  They go to

church every week though and the members there help them also.  Ah

man...Tupou...she came to church again! We met with her earlier in the week

and we were teaching about baptism and the covenant we make. We were sharing

from Mosiah 18 and how it talked about comforting others, being a witness

until death and then it said if this be the desires of your heart, why wont

you be baptized type of thing. So we asked her, is this what you want in

your life, do you want to make this covenant with Heavenly Father? She said

yeah...I mean YES...I do. Then I committed her to be baptized and there was

a pause...Long pause. Then she said I have to be baptized again? She was

already baptized in the AOG church. WE said yes and she said why? ahhh man!!

We have talked with her about the authority and what not mulitple times, and

we felt like she understood, but she brought it up again...haha so close!!

So we are still working with her slowly. She is a very good investigator.

The zone has 17 baptism dates and 21 new investigators this past week.  It

was awesome! I guess last week the whole mission had 101 new investigators.

That's awesome! So its moving! 20 more missionaries will be coming in March

and I think the next group after that is close to 20. There are going to be

a ton of missionaries here.

So there was a tsunami warning here on Wednesday.  We were dropping the

Terrys off in Labasa and on the way the warning came. It was called off

though. We got excited but yeah nothing happened. Zone Conference is this

next week. We will be going to Labasa. We want to do a zone activity on

Monday. Go to Labasa and play volleyball and have a picnic. Then in the

evening have a zone jepordy game...Winner gets a cake! Haha.  So we need to

get the approval from President so hopefully he does. If he does, it's going

to be way fun! We are doing a training on studies...different ways to study

and effective ways to prepare ourselves to teach our investigators. We have

a little white board and for all the trainings, we just write our ideas on

the board. It's pretty full right now, so we start putting it together this

week. It should be pretty good. I am also in D&C 107 in my reading ...So

that is going good.

We had a good sunday school class last week from the Lorenzo Snow book.  I

cant remember the title of the chapter. It was about our destiny and who we

can become. It was way good. It's amazing to read and know all the promises

He promises us and how much it SHOULD inspire us to keep the commandments

and do all he says. Something that I was thinking about is how all of those

things we can become needs to be locked up in our mind and in our heart. We

need to know deep down inside of us all they are true and He will always

fulfill his word. If we do what he says...He will give us all that He says

He will give us.  That should really help us to do the right things. So that

was something I really learned is who we are truly and who we can become.

Not just a wish or a cool thought but it can become a reality. So yeah I

challenge all of us to think about that often! The more we think about it,

the more we will want to do the right things!

Well love you guys! Thanks for all the support and your examples to me! Have

a great week! Be happy! Find time to study the scriptures!

Its worth it! Kalougata tiko!

Elder Hansen

week 91

Bula,

It sounds like all is well back home!

Superbowl Sunday!

Uhh mother, the Terrys went to Suva and they have my package so I will get

it this week and release date is still unknown! Haha...Well we had a busy

week this week. Sorry this will probably be a little shorter email. Yeah we

had 3 meetings this week...two in Labasa and one in Taveuni. So we were only

in the area for 2 days. The meetings were really good. President really

enjoyed our training on "How to set inspired goals". Others gave us some

positive feedback as well. We went to Taveuni and had a good meeting. The

two new missionaries are Elder Eli from Hawaii and Elder Schofield from PG

is the one elder is the picture with the family. They are good kids. Elder

Schofield, Elder Mayberry and I met a drunk guy on the street. Haha we oym'd

him. He told us all he loved us and gave us new names. He said mine was

David. He told us he loved us a ton of times and then said he hated white

people and that if we did it like in  America he was shoot us,. Hahaha it

was pretty entertaining. He told us he loved us after that. Our water was

out for a couple days so we had to shower at our branch presidents house.

They have a really good shower!  We also met this family from California on

the boat to Taveuni. Supposedly they are moving to Fiji for good, they are

big surfers...ha we were talking to the kids just about where they are from

and what not and their father comes up and says hey kids your mother wants

you to come sit back here so these guys dont mess with your heads! Im

serious! Lets go! Haha we just sat there and was like uhh ok, vinaka man! So

yeah it was fun though! President is doing good. He was happy with our

training though...So it was good. Well the two days in our area were

awesome! We got 3 new investigators and planning on 3 more this next week.

We also had 3 at sacrament which is the most since I have been here. A lot

of them want to be baptized so we are way excited! They just came out of

nowhere this week. The Lord blessed us very much! We have been dying to find

some new investigators! We also will have the next 2 weeks in the area

without going anywhere so we are stoked to work! So we are planning for a

few baptisms in March. This week is the Muirs last week. We had a big party

for them after church on Sunday, so much food! It was sweet! We had the

whole zone write them thank you letters and what not and gave it to them.

They are awesome! They are from Lehi and are here in Savusavu.  I'll send a

pic of them so you know who they are but you guys might get a call from her

sometime. She wanted to know your number. So you know who she is...She is

not the one who bakes all the cakes, that is Sister Terry. Muir is so bomb

though! She cleaned our house in Seaqaqa once, she made a delicious red

velvet cake even though she'll say it looked like a disaster. Haha. Elder

Muir served here in Fiji like 50 years ago...he is awesome too. He knows a

lot about the culture and history of Fiji.Its awesome! So yeah all is well!

We are stoked! Ill let you know more about the investigators next week.

Sorry its shorter this week! We were busy with all the traveling. but

nothing too exciting. It's been raining today so not the best day. Oh I

forgot to tell you this though. We went and toured a resort this

morning...Jean Michel Cousteau or something like that. The wife of the

manager is a member (less active) so we went to meet the family.  How would

it be to say I grew up on a resort in Fiji?? Ha not bad! Anyways, say hi to

everyone! Especially Grandma! Hope all goes well! Ill be praying for her!

Work is awesome! Mission is awesome! Love you guys!

Elder Hansen

week 90

 Bula family...

 The weather is definitely different here. It is soo hot!! It's been  burning lately. Well It's been a crazy week as always. We  were only in the area on Saturday and Sunday. We got a whole 4  lessons ha. We went to Rabi on Monday, we took them brand new  bikes. It was fun! Transfers came in this week too. I am not moving. Tremea is though! I have a grandson!!! He is opening an area,  district leader, and training! I am so proud of my son! Haha. He's  nervous but he will do awesome. We have two greenies that came into  our zone. One is from Pleasant Grove and one from Hawaii. I have only  met one of them though, I will meet the other one this week. So we  came back from Rabi on Tuesday and then Wednesday morning  we went to  Suva for our zone leaders council. We rode the small plane to Suva ha it was fun. I will send some pictures of it today. Our meeting went  pretty good. So we came back Thursday and we had to  plan things for this next week and so that took most of the day. Friday we did studies, weekly plan for like 4 hours  trying to schedule everyone coming in and what not. We have three  meetings this week. We have our monthly Zone training meetings on  Tuesday and Thursday...One will be in Labasa and one will be in  Taveuni. Wednesday we have a leadership training with all district  leaders, trainers and sisters. We just had a District Leaders  training, last week so its pretty much going to be the same people. Ha,  I wish we could have just done it all at once, but not my call. So we  will be going to Labasa tomorrow and come back Wednesday and  Thursday go to Taveuni, come back on Friday.  So once again only in  the area, Saturday and Sunday this week. We have to give a training about how to set inspired goals  for the leadership training. We have some good ideas for it. We just  need to polish it up and I think it will be good. Oh yeah by the way  today is Mohammads birthday...ha yes this is a holiday in Fiji and all  of town is shut down. The guy at this computer shop really likes us  so he said he would open it for us...SO happy birthday Mohammad!! So on Thursday, we got back from Suva and then tried to work for a bit,  but more things came up we had to do and then Tremea was sick. He was  going to come in on Friday for transfers but because he was sick, we  just decided to go pick him up Thursday. So we picked him up from  Karoko which is a 2.5 hour drive one way. We had 0 lessons up  til Saturday, haha. So yeah its been really busy and a lot of things  to do. I have been exhausted this week, but no worries just keep on  moving. So because of the lack of lessons, not really much about  investigators this week. I  did study a talk from Lynn G Robbins from this last conference I  believe... "What manner of men and women ought ye to be" It was way  good! A couple things I really liked from it. He talked about "to  be" and "to do" they are inseperable...if its "do" without "be" it  shows a false image to others...if its the opposite "be" without "do" that it's a false image to ourselves.  To do's are just things to be checked off, things that need to get done. Well to be never is  done. He used an example with his wife. He can take his wife out on  a date, that is a "to do" but to be a good husband cant be done...Its  something that needs to a continual process and needs to be a part of  his nature. So really we can do a lot of good things, but is it help  us to be?? To be like Christ eh? We dont just go to church or read the  scriptures or help others just do it, we do it to become better, to be  like Christ. In Preach My Gospel, chapter 6 the christlike  attributes, it says we need to be a christlike missionary, not just do  missionary things. This is something I have thought about a lot lately  and tried to work on, is become more like the Savior...Becoming a  servant to others .So it was really good. Especially when we are not  in our area and we have to do all of our Zone Leader responsibilities I try to make sure I am doing the best I can to help the missionaries in  our zone. So yeah its good, I still have a long way to go, but we all  do, its a lifelong pursuit to become like Christ. Well love you all! Have a good week. Find unplanned acts of  service for others this week!

 Elder Hansen