week 66

Bula Vinaka Family...Sounds like things are going good! Keep doing that

yoga! Well, transfers came and I am still here, with a ward missionary. He

is really good though so its not too bad. This week was ok, a lot of people

weren't home. But we can't change it. We got a new investigator, Vulaca. He

is 70 years old and wants to be baptized by immersion and wants to learn

about the church and stuff. He is an awesome guy, he talks a little too much

but it's all good. We had a sweet FHE for the YSA on Monday. It was about

goals and careers. It was sweet, then we played ping pong, haha so fun! It

was at an Australian members house. It was way fun. It has been freezing

here too! Every night and morning man! Two YSA's received their mission

call, one is going to Ghana, and one to England! Haha it was sweet! The one

going to Ghana, his brother is already in Johannesburg. First Fijian I have

ever heard go to England too. Is Travis London or another one? I can't

remember. We had another less active come to church Sunday. We have been

having a lot of success with Less actives lately! We also had a very good

lesson with Bui. We talked about the whole gay thing. She was very open and

said it's not right and all this stuff. I was having a hard time knowing how

to approach it and I was like ok I am just going to the scriptures. I just

started flipping through and saw one there. Ok Bingo was his namo! Then like

5 scriptures came in my head and just shared them one by one and it was sooo

powerful! Especially the one in Mosiah 4:33, maybe, the last verse in Fijian

was worded perfectly! It was really teaching what she needed to learn. It

was hard, but awesome lesson to teach! She felt comforted and knew what she

need to do. I was happy with it! All is well here. I have 2 more sisters in

my district now, so there's 4! The 2, last week, got in a huge fight, haha

drama man! We are now split from Wailoku and so we dont have to worry about

scheduling lessons with them so we can just focus on our work. All is well,

Estill was made AP this transfer as well. People were surprised nothing

happened with me. They thought I was going up to ZL, haha I don't really

care, I just do! I might even train again in September!I would be ok with

that. I like helping the new guys especially with Fijian. Yeah all is good

here, I am set with everything, no worries! Just the only thing, if you want

to put more money in my account every now and then because I will be

spending some dough for sure! Especially when I am about to leave! Haha,

Thats the only thing though! Well, I love you all!! Keep moving forward!!

Fulfill your FULL potential!! moce mada!! Oh yeah I learned some Hindi this

week too!!

Elder Hansen

week 65

Bula Vinaka kemudou na wekaqu lomani! Bear Lake is sweet! I havent been

there forever! There was an elder who just went home in April from there.
Well things are still crazy here doing things for the AP's and all that.
There was an emergency transfer. Elder Ruben who was with us went home on
medical leave (he just lives in Suva). He is not released, just a few weeks
to focus on his legs to get better and then come back. Well, Elder Tremea is
his replacement. I am with the Wailoku elders until Wednesday then I get
another ward missionary from Kadavu. It was weird and we both were not
happy!!! I don't understand why they did it like this, there are plenty of
other good ways to do it but its for a reason and we cant change it so you
just have to deal with it! I have been doing everything pretty much by
myself the past few days so we'll see what happens. The legit transfers
should come in this week. It's weird, Elder Tremea called me and I asked him
how it was going and he said uhhh I dont know how it is going, hahaha so
funny. My 2 sons are all grown up now! They grow up so fast! hehehe. Well
had an ok week though this week. It was an up and down week, we didnt meet
our goals at all this week, people not coming to church, they promise us

they will and dont show up...soo frustrating!! Prayers definitely have been

answered though, that's for sure! We have been praying last week and this

week alot for new investigators and trying to figure out what to do with

this whole gay situation. Well this week we got 7 new investigators!!! Sulu,
one of the girls we baptized, her family now wants to take lessons! Her mom
is awesome too, way nice so we will start teaching them this week. We also
got a young couple.  We went to go see another investigator and they were
just there. It was sweet! Also, Bui (gay person) called one of the members

saying she wants to take lessons again, we havnt seen her in a couple weeks.

Come to find out, her "partner" left and Bui just said she wants to change
and not be like that anymore and she feels that is holding her back in

life...it was sweet!! She still needs to go through an interview with
President but it's one huge step closer! It was awesome! We also had 3 less

actives come back! We have been working with them for a few weeks.

Especially one, Brandon Chadra, we have seen him ever since we got here. He

came for the first time in a few years on Sunday! He said he wants to get

things right and serve a mission! Sunday, he was participating and all. His
mom also came who was less active. It was such a good feeling seeing him
back. He came up to me and just said "It feels good to be back!" I was soo

happy!!! We have had a lot of success with less actives lately...Its
amazing! I went on exchanges with Elder Trent, he is new, he came with

Tremea. He had a fijian comp but he doesnt do anything really to help him.
We talked and he was very frustrated. We had a great exchange. We did pure
fijian the whole time. Haha I made him do everything in lessons. He was so
happy...He was like man, I have not done any of that so far in 3 months and
that was fun. So I taught him ways to study and got him some things to study
in Fijian and so I hope I boosted his confidence in learning and what not.
It was a really good exchange. Billy our investigator who is done with

everything, almost done reading The Book of Mormon, did come to church!
Thats all he needs to do and something always happens that he cant come! The

other day, haha, it was so funny, his daughter called him to say we were
here and he said  "Yes! God is coming to meet Bill!" He said it in english

and he rarely ever speaks english and it was the funniest thing ever! He
just giggled after and it was hilarious! He said the first time he saw us,

he knew that God was with us. It was way cool. President in his email said
that I had a lot on my plate with everything but he is very proud of the way
I have handled it and my continued leadership and work here. I felt good,

One thing I have learned is what ever happens, you cant change it, but you

can change the way you act with it and what not. You just gotta roll with
what you got! It was a good email. We had a good combined district meeting
with the other Suva district. The Zone Leaders did the training and here's a

fun fact that is not very fun....15,000 members in Fiji, and only 5,000

active. A ton of less active work is needed here. They did a training on
real growth and on repentance with investigators. We are here to give them
an opportunity to repent and receive the celestial kingdom. Like marriage

for  instance, a lot of times we say "Oh they just need to be married and

they can be baptized." Well, have they met the requirements of repentance?

Really focusing on that, if they have showed a change of heart and not just

they know the answers to the baptism questions. IF we do this, it will more
much more effective and lower the less actives. It was really good and I am
going to give a training on teaching and apply this tomorrow. I am excited.

It really helped me to focus my teaching on them and helping them to change

in their heart. We can do that by the way to teach, really teaching people
and not lessons. It was good. Some great scriptures they used and I

recommend to look up and think about in our own lives...Helaman 15:7-8...D&C
18:11-15....D&C 138:19...It really helped me alot in my work and to fulfill
my purpose to help others to come unto Christ..Well how do we do that? How

do we help them to have faith and repent and so on? That's my goal for my
teaching this week. Really do always include Christ and His atonement a lot
too. So yeah. Well this has been a good week. I am really excited for this
next upcoming week. I hope all is well. Find time to read scriptures
everyday! They are powerful! They are real!! Love you all!! Sorry, I forgot

my cord to send pictures! Next week!! Moce Mada!!

Elder Hansen

week 64

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM ON FRIDAY!!

I had to be sure that was the first thing I said!! How are things my family?
Congrats on the walk! Thats awesome! Dad I am suprised you didnt say
anything about me being 200 pounds! haha We went to the gym today for the
first time! It was sweet! We are going to go 3 times a week. I was dead so
fast! It was ridiculous! Its ok, the first time will be the hardest. I can
do it. Well things here are busy, we had a really weird week this week. It
was so hectic. We had leadership training on Wednesday. It was really good.
We talked about studies, doing all three...personal,comp,andlanguage.It was
really good! We talked about how we need to prepare ourselves to  have a
spiritual experience and how it doesnt just come by reading a few scriptures
and you're done. It was really good! We also lost one of our areas, Wailoku.
The Rotuma elders that were staying with us were suppose to go back but
there is a boat that goes once a month to Rotuma and takes food and all that
stuff. Well it didn't come this month so President didnt want them to go so
they put them in Wailoku. So we are just the two Tamavua wards. Elder Ruben
who was in Labasa when I was in Seaqaqa is hurt.  He collapsed both of his
arches so now he is staying with us (he gained too much weight! hahaha). We
have been doing his therapy with him. I had to rub his arches and give him
pain. Ha it was sweet! I taped his foot today too. So an Elder got food
poisoning the other day in my district and spent two days in the hospital.
So Elder Tremea went to his area and Ruben and I stayed in our area. We
found that out plus the Wailoku thing all in like ten minutes and it was
just hectic!!
Well it continues....Saturday! We had 2 baptisms!! Yeah! I baptized both of
them and actually 2 ward baptisms also. So that morning, the aunt of one of
them call me "Is Mele getting baptized today? I was like uhh yeah. Then she
went off about how she didn't know and they aren't ready and whatever.  We
have told you who knows how many times! We also gave them like 3 baptism
records to fill out and they never did. It was ridiculous! She was asking to
do it on another day and I was like what!  But then she said that they will
be there. Well, the next thing was the baptism font ( first one in a true
font). I forgot that we are responsible for the font! So I was freaking out
that we had to go fill up the font but wouldn't have enough time! Luckily,
it filled up fast! I am used to just going to a river and water is already
there! Bishop said that the ward would take care of the program and the 1st
counselor comes and asks me what is the program. The Bishop said you were
going to do it. SO we all know what that means....NO program was ready. Then
President and Sister Klingler show up! I was like ohh crap! This is going to
be embarrassing! The service was way sketch! No one knew what was going on.
We sang a closing song that a whole 3 people knew. It was the first and last
time I will let someone else plan a baptism! Hahaha I was so embarrassed!
The Klinglers didn't say anything though so it's done, the 4 people are
baptized! I confirmed one of them on Sunday and it was the first time I have
done it in Fijian so it was good. 2 and 3 baptism in like 7 months! Yeah! It
was good though! SO yeah it has been a crazy week for sure. Things are going
good!  My studies are going good, I am focusing on The Book of Mormon and
Jesus The Christ right now. District is going good, transfers are in 2 weeks
I think, maybe 3,not sure if I'll go or not. Tremea is the man! He is
learning very quickly, he is a great missionary! Well, have a good week!! I
bought some new garments today too. They are like 95 cents here, haha way
cheap! I bought some bigger ones hahaha. Well love you all! Mom, have a
great birthday!! Thank you very much for everything mother...You are the
woman! I will talk to you next week!!
dou vakacegu toka!

Elder Hansen

week 63

I did get the box...thank you! Those rice krispies lasted about 10 minutes!

I have quite of few pictures for you this week....Not a lot of the actual

waterfall, I have a few videos, but I wasnt at an angle for a good pic of

the waterfall. It was kind of dangerous where we were walking. The sisters

had to go back because it was so hard. It was pretty cool though. Well this

week was an interesting week. A very up and down week. At the first we

thought this week is going to be ca sara ga! It was rough at first! We ended

up totaling our lessons and we had 26! We have been over 20 every week since

we have the 3 wards. We have 2 baptisms this week!! We should have had 3 but

the one hasn't been to church in the past 2 weeks! Sulu and Mele, 12 and 16

year old girls. They are very good and Sulus mom is next on our list to try

to take lessons. She is wayy cool!! She always sits with us, takes notes and

all, so I hope seeing Sulu being baptized will inspire her...They are

awesome! The Terry's came to Suva this week. They took us out to dinner...SO

good!!! It was good to see and talk with them. The Rotuma elders are still

with us. They both know people in the area so its been good. They have been

helping us except 2 of the days one of them was really sick. We just got

another elder whose arches both collapsed so we have to take care of him

too. It's been good though. We have leadership conference on Wednesday so I

am excited for that. It's just busy man! I am tired every day. The district

is doing ok. We are the highest and then another area is doing decent and

the sisters aren't doing very good. All of us, the APs the ZLs and I are

trying to figure something out for the sisters. I guess it has been like

this for quite a while. So that's the challenge for trainings at our

District Meetings, to train on something that we are all slacking on or need

to improve. All my trainings so far have been pretty good. I have received

good comments on it...So yeah, we have 2 more baptisms planned on Aug 11 so

we are doing all we can to prepare those two people. We have had a good

balance number between investigators and recent convert less active lessons.

We are trying to reactivate all the recent convert. There is one who is

18..Jean, she is awesome! She was the first person we met here. She has

barely been to church since we have been here so we have been working with

her and  have a way good relationship with her.  We always have way

spiritual leesons and she always says she will go to church but never does.

She finally came last Sunday and she was way happy. You can just see the

change in her. It has been awesome to see her grow and truly want to learn.

I asked her the difference between last time she went to church and on

Sunday. She said on Sunday I actually wanted to go and try to learn. It was

fun. That's what we need to be. Don't go to church just because we are

SUPPOSE to or someone told us. We need to go because we want too. It's

something I have definitely learned on my mission. I love going to church

now!! So thats been what our goal is to help them gain that true desire in

their hearts. So its been good!! Work is good! Health is good...oh get

this!!! I weighed myself today....200!!! I have hit 2 bills everyone!!!

Ridiculous!!! Hahaha Crazy eh? Well love you all!! Be happy and iyap!! I

have begun tackling Jesus the Christ...I cant wait!! ok moce mada!

Elder Hansen

week 62

Hello, my dear family I am here in this wonderful place of Fiji where the
sun shines and the water flows.  HA!!! How is it people? Things here are
doing good! Not going to lie, I am exhausted and its only 11:45! Melanie did
write back! She is doing some volunteer work this week in the Dominican
Republic. I was just like hey what's up, I'm Shane, I'm in Fiji, I love ice
cream, uhh yeah! Peace! Haha jk I said more than that but she is way
athletic (from what it sounds) so that's a plus! We had a good week, fall
throughs again, but we still had over 20 lessons. We are doing good. We had
a baptism interview on Saturday but he didn't come to church on Sunday!!! So
now we have to wait a week to baptize him. He's 12 though so what do you
expect! We are hoping for 1 or 2 more interviews this week so we'll have
some baptisms coming up! Mom, I found a guy that does Nativities. I will be
getting one next week. The two elders from Rotuma are staying with us for 2
weeks....Rotuma is an island pretty far. They learn Rotuman...it's a cool
language. One had to come to the doctor so they will be with us for 2 weeks.
It's a 3 day boat ride there. One of our investigators Billy, he is bomb! He
is almost done with the Book of Mormon except he needs to come to church and
he will be baptized. He is the man!! We had a really good week with less
actives. We saw 3 or 4 of them. We had really good lessons with them. They
haven't been to church for a long time. We met with them once each and had
good lessons. Sunday, they are all there!!! I was like wow! That was sweet!!
One of the guys we go out with alot, hes getting ready for a mission. He
asked us one night if we would share a spiritual thought with his dad? Yeah
sure! After the lesson, and that week, Jone (the kid) said that he was
talking about that lesson a lot. He went to church and saw bishop with his
wife and is getting back in. It was awesome! I have been thinking about my
mission and a lot of the lessons are things that stick out are with less
active members and my patriarchal blessing talks about that too...helping
those who are already members. I thought of Seaqaqa for sure! In one of the
wards, that is all we are doing...Recent Converts who are less active and
the long time less actives. So it's been good. The Suva zone had a
missionary fireside last night and President was talking about his first
year in Fiji and things that have been happening and how the gospel is
growing here in Fiji. He said that he and Sis Klingler have flown 129 times
in the first year to different islands. New Caledoina after 4 plus years has
just had the first stake made there. Kadavu branch now has a real branch
president (before it was the missionaries).  Multiple branches have been
started in places where there were no members before. The cause of the split
in the mission is because of the growth here in Fiji and I was thinking
about that all in one year. That is sweet!!! I cant wait to see how much in
the years to come. The stake president then spoke and said....The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is here in Fiji to stay! It was way cool!
I heard once a math expression....we add members we multiple something (
dont remember) we divide wards....So yeah it was cool! Well, we are about to
go to a waterfall today! Im stoked! So you will get some pictures next week!
Sorry none today! But always remember....iyap!!! not ipod! iyap! Is Your
Attitude Positive! Have a good week!! Things are busy and well here!! Love
you all!! Moce mada!

Elder Hansen

week 61

What's good!? So guess what!? Melanie emailed me!!(Melanie was our cute
waitress at the restaurant in Manti. We gave her Shane's email) Haha I
haven't read it yet but YEAH!!! Well How is it? Man Keaton!! I was wondering
when he comes home. That's crazy! Dad you are becoming a big boy on that
bike! That's awesome! Yeah sorry it was short last week. It was crazy! We
didn't hit 30 this week. We had 23, we had a lot of fall throughs this week
but 30 is our goal for this week so hopefully we can keep getting it. We had
2 new investigators this week. We have been good at finding at least one
every week but the English ward is where we are having trouble finding new
investigators. It is an interesting situation though. It was a referral and
they are bomb investigators!! They are soo good...They want to change and
the things we have shared so far make a lot of sense but.....They are
"partners". Hint hint...They are girls and like 30-40 years old. Haha so I

need to talk to president to see what we need to do or how to approach it.

The member was like I need to warn you, they are gay. I was like uhhh okkk.
So I am not sure what the situation will be but yeah, they are way cool
though. I guess everyone points at them and doesn't talk to them in their
church and what not so the member was like they need to be loved too. So

we'll see! Work is doing good! We have some baptisms coming up in the next

couple weeks. Billy the soldier is doing awesome! We just need to get him to
come to church. He is almost done with the whole Book of Mormon. He loves
the Book of Mormon. So in the Fiji times last week, this author from Utah I
think, had this article about the church and Joseph Smith and all this. She
and her husband are returned missionaries and sealed in the temple. This
article was straight garbage! It even had a pic of garments in it too. It
was in the Fiji newspaper! That kind of stuff doesn't happen very often if
ever here in Fiji. So we have been hearing all this stuff about the article
and Billy actually asked us about it but luckily he didn't believe it. It
was dumb! I went on exchanges with the ZL's this past week too. I went with
Elder Seila, he is the best Fijian missionary and one of the best, period!
He is like 30 years old...He's the man! It was good going with him. I
learned a lot from him about teaching and what not. So that was good.
District is doing good, Sisters are fine now, I think. I was taking numbers
and they didn't have a good week so I was just trying to help them and what
not and one of them was like, You're the best!!! Haha She said I always help

them and inspire them so at least I am helping one person! We set our zone

and district goals for the year. I am not very good at goals but we are
doing it in a way that I think will help me a lot. I don't remember if I
told you about this or not but it's a sweet story! So this guy was about to

die and he said he had a dream that he was on an airplane and everyone on

the plane was in white. The attendant asked him if he had a passport and he

said no...then asked do you have a temple recommend? He said yes...the

attendant said That is your passport. It was soo sweet to hear and think
about that! Our temple recommend is like a passport to Heavenly Father. That
needs to be our goal is to always be able to hold a temple recommend. Just a
cool story, I might have told you before but yeah. I read the Liahona this

month and it was bomb! Two talks I really liked were about always being in

the middle and the one about plan A and plan B. We are always in the middle!
Forget about yesterday, don't worry about tomorrow, focus on today and be in
the middle and tomorrow will be ok. Just a ton of stuff from it! When plan A
doesn't work out, we at times, complain and ask why? we shouldn't complain

and keep our faith and live the gospel and plan B will work out! I highly
encourage you guys to read this months, it was awesome! Uhh what else?? Yeah

ha so we went to priesthood in Wailoku. I was like who is the teacher? Then
they said you are. I just laughed and we started then the guy goes, ok I'll
give the time to the elders for the lesson...haha that's how it is in Fiji!
It was good though. It was about the Immortality of the soul in the George
Albert Smith book. It was a really good lesson actually. SO yeah, so this is

the story of the week!! It happened last night and two pics of my finger and

the sulu are from what happened. So we go to see an investigator and they
have dogs. We pull up like normal and 2 dogs were barking..normal, nothing
new, so we started walking up the drive way and they were still barking and

then all of a sudden, 3-4 more dogs come around the corner at full speed
right at me! Fijian trick is you bend down like your grabbing a rock and

they will stop because they know you are going to throw a rock at them.
Well, this time it didn't work! They didn't stop! I tried twice and I was

like crap crap crap!! Hahaha I get owned by like 6 dogs!!! One dog jumped at
me and bit my sulu and ripped it and I just started running trying to get
them off me and I am looking forward at the dogs and running

backwards...next thing, WHACK!!!! I run directly into a car!!! The car alarm

goes off, they dogs get scared and run away...the people we were going to
see get all freaked out and come out and see that it is us...I walk back to
them and was like "Hey guys! How is it!? Haha like nothing happened! I look
down and my finger is covered in blood, from when I tried to get a rock and
I scrapped my finger...haha it was intense!!!! Tremea was just standing
there and he said the only thought that came to his head was "Crap crap crap

crap! Ok it's over! He just watched me get attacked! It was pretty funny and
intense!! It's all good though, just cut my finger off and we're good! haha

jk but yeah it was my favorite sulu that dog bit too! I was lucky they

didn't actually bite me. I was thinking what if I fell when I hit the car
haha that would have been bad! I hit the car hard man! It moved forward. I
felt like I was in football again! So yeah that was the crazy story of the
week. It was legit! Well, this one is a little longer this week! Work is going good! Hoping to see some baptisms in the next few weeks! All is well!
Love you all! Keep it real! Moce mada!

Elder Hansen

week 60

Family!! That is ridiculous about Cottonwood!!! I leave for 1-2 years and

looks what happened!!! That is crazy!!! That is sweet about the Melanie
girl! I am excited!! Way to do work my parents!! Keep doing it!(we gave our
cute waitress in Manti Shane's email. She was  adorable and may be coming to
BYU next year)  Well things here are good!! We had the busiest week of my

mission..by far!!!! But I will answer Dads questions first...We have us,

Nasinu Elders and Samabula Sisters. We had some girl drama this morning with
the sisters but it went up to President. Ha, that's the only catch about
being a DL, sisters who dont get along! Investigators...a lot!
Dinner...everyday, Mission Leader...not bad. We are trying to work with them
more and more. Car no truck unfortunately. It's very nice to have car! So

yeah, so my highest numbers of lessons in a week is 16 until this week!! We
had 30 lessons this week!! Absolutely crazy!! Soo many people to know who

they are and where they live in just one week! Luckily, we have had some
bomb members who go with us. One of them has only been a member for 6
months. Ha, he has keys to the chapel (first chapel in my mission by the
way) It is soo legit! In the Tamavua 1st ward and Wailoku,  you can just

feel and see the desire for missionary work and its awesome!! Tamavua 2nd

doesn't have that so we are trying to find some ways to fix it! We are
hoping for quite a few baptisms this month. We just need to get them to
church! So yeah it's been way busy! Plus with all the DL duties and all, its
been way busy! I like it though! An opportunity to learn! Especially time
management which I am not good at especially coming from my 2 past areas. My
studies were not very good this week. That was the down side. We had two
missionaries stay with us so we had to take them back and forth to places
they need to be. One is in the hospital from the Marshall Islands and one is
going home from New Caledonia. So that is something I am working on this

next week! So be on time for everything and effective studies! Tremea is
doing really well! He is improving every week! He has such a positive

attitude and wants to work! So we are just doing work! I am almost in single

digits! Too fast!!! No time to waste!!! Do work everyday!! oh yeah...we got

hit on biiiiggggg time!!!! These girls from Taveuni... thats where the
trouble girls are, we were teaching them and they hit on us bad!!! We
haven't been back! I am not going to say what they said! You should have
seen Tremea when I told him what they said. He didn't understand them.  Soo

funny!! Well all is well! Have fun! Do work!! Have adventures! Love you
all!! Moce mada!

Elder Hansen