sister terry's e-mail

Brother and Sister Hansen,

Well, we put Shane on the plane from Labasa to Suva on Wednesday, and he will be leaving Nadi tonight to begin his journey home. Before we left he asked if we would send some recent pictures we took because for some reason his camera wasn't working correctly.  So, as we promised him, I am sending them to you.  I may have to send in two batches because there are 18 of them.

We wanted to share with you, too how much we love your son.  He was an amazing missionary out here and is an amazing young man.  He was one of the best out here and was one of our greatest joys, too.  How we loved serving him as he served the Lord.  He came to our area shortly after we arrived and we fell in love with him immediately.  When he left the first time it was hard to say "good-bye" but we knew we would see him again in the mission field.  When he was sent back to Vanua Levu as a zone leader, we were so happy.  We were so proud of him, too!!

We really can't say enough good about him.  But, one thing we want to share with you is what an example he was to other elders when dealing with sister missionaries.  Most elders are so uncomfortable around them that they ignore them basically.  Not Elder Hansen.  One day we were having lunch in Savusavu after a meeting and we had made room for the sisters at our table but they decided to sit by themselves.  There was room at their table for elders to sit but none of them did.  Elder Hansen looked up and saw they were sitting by themselves and he went to sit with them, eating his lunch with them and talking to them with ease.  That said everything to me about the type of young man he was.  I was so proud of him that day, as I have been every day.  Some days there was just those special moments that made something stand out.

Thank you for sharing your son with this mission.  Everyone he knew was touched by him and his love for his Heavenly Father.  I have never heard anyone say anything negative about him.  The missionaries loved him and he was a great example for them.  As he makes his way home, I know there will be some sadness for him and maybe some apprehension, too.  But, he was ready to come home and ready to get on with his life.  He isn't sure what he should study in college but he'll get there.  We encouraged him to pursue what he loved and he will be great at whatever he chooses.  

We will keep in touch with him and will come to see him when we get home ourselves.  4+ months and we'll return to our life in the states.  We know Elder Hansen will always be a part of it.

Please give him our love when he gets home.  Tell him that he is missed here by everyone already.  And please tell him that he was an extraordinary missionary.  Congratulations on his return!!  We know how much you have missed him.

Love,

Sister Terry