Kyndra got a letter in the mail yesterday from Garrett. It looks like he wrote this letter before he got on the computer on P-day, so some of it is what we already read in his emails, but still definitely worth posting.
****************
March 24, 2011
Bula Vinaka Sister,
Sorry I haven't written to you for a bit. One of the rules is to only write on P-day, so I'm trying to stick to it.
Anyway, I've had a crazy last few days. First of all, Elder Brown and Elder Pakileata got in a fight because they were both being dumb, so we did what's called a "Temporary Exchange", so I was Elder Pakileata's comp for a couple of days, and Elder Chlarson was with Elder Brown. Then two days ago when we were supposed to switch back, my Pres. decided to make it permanent, so now my companion is Elder Pakileata for good. This is honestly the hardest thing I've ever done. He isn't like most Polynesians I know, he's not very funny at all, which is a downer, plus he's not out here for himself, so he's not willing to work at all. So - my Pres told me to help him as much as possible and hopefully he'll change, but not to be surprised if he goes home. It's so crazy with him, but all in all he is a good guy, and I love him...it's just hard to see him struggle.
As for progress....I can sit down and talk Fijian with a native for about 15 minutes solid now, but it's only the "get to know you" kind of stuff, and I can tell them what my purpose is as a missionary. So sick. But the best part of Fijian is singing in it, it sounds so good - you don't even know! ha, ha.
The best part about this place, though, is the Spirit. You get such good, strong feelings of it so much every day. I've gained weight physically AND spiritually, ha, ha. It will actually be hard to leave the MTC.
I had to walk down the street here on Tuesday to go to the doc's office with Elder Pakileata because he broke his finger in one of his temper tantrums. CNN was on the TV in the doctor's office when we got there, and it was so annoying that I had to ask the lady working there if she would please turn it off. The world we live in is such a messed up place, Satan is everywhere. "He be climbin' in your windows, snatchin' your people up". Times are so hard right now, but all you need is FAITH.
I ran into Dalton today, he looked so good. I can't believe he's here already - so crazy - time flies. I love that kid so much.
Au via wasea Vaadinadina
(I want to bear my testimony)
Au vakadinadinataka na Vola i Momani
(I testify of the Book of Mormon)
Kei na cavacaka vavadaukaulofu
(and of missionary work)
Au kila ni dina nabula o Jisu Karisito
(I know of the life of Christ)
Au Vakadinadinataka na Parofita o Thomas S. Monson
(I testify of the Prophet Thomas S. Monson)
Kei va Parofita o Josepha Simici
(and the Prophet Joseph Smith)
Au Vakadinadinatuka na vakalesuimai ni Kosepeli i Jusi Karisito
(I testify of the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ)
E va yaca i Jisu Karisito, emeni
(In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen)
I love you Kyndra and everything you do for me.
Love,
Elder Garrett Hanke
P.S. Please share this letter with everyone cuz I won't have time to type about my whole week.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Today's e-mails - with a little Fijian thrown in...
Note from Elder Hanke's Mama: This is email #1 from today, short and sweet, but look at that Fijian!:
************
Vakacava tiko,
Love you all, hopefully I get faster at typing soon, but don't count on it! ha, ha
Peace and Blessings, Sota Tale
Elder Palangi Hanke
*****************
Note #2 from Elder Hanke's Mama: I was on-line (of course!) watching for the email to come through today, so I saw it the moment it came across. I hurried and sent a quick reply (this is really probably considered as "cheating on missionary communication", but I did it anyway) and I got the following email back a few minutes later:
Elda Brown is letting me use some of his time, very grateful for that.
Peace and blessings be with you---pray always,
Elda Palangi Hanke
****************
Grandparents....remember that "sick" = really cool!
FYI - Elder Birky is one of Garrett's very good friends that just got to the MTC yesterday, so you can tell that he was VERY happy to see him. :)
************
Vakacava tiko,
It has been a crazy week here....biggest thing to happen is that we switched companions because Elder Brown and Elder Pakileata weren't getting along at all, so now I'm with Elder Pakileata, which has honestly been the most nutso and hardest thing I may have ever encountered. He is quite the human being, but he's doing anger management classes, so hopefully he'll improve. But it's basically my job to help him out with everything and try to make it so he doesn't want to go home.
Honestly, I have very little time today so I'll just leave you with my testimony:
Au via wasea vakadinadina, au vakadinadinataka na kiosipeli ni Jisu Karisito. Au vakadinadinataki no parofita o thomas s Monson kei na Parofita na Josefa Simici. Au vakabauta na kila ni bula vua Kalou, au vakadinadinataka na vakalesuimai na kosipeli ni jisu Karisito Ena yaca i Jisu Karisito, Emeni.
Love you all, hopefully I get faster at typing soon, but don't count on it! ha, ha
Peace and Blessings, Sota Tale
Elder Palangi Hanke
*****************
Note #2 from Elder Hanke's Mama: I was on-line (of course!) watching for the email to come through today, so I saw it the moment it came across. I hurried and sent a quick reply (this is really probably considered as "cheating on missionary communication", but I did it anyway) and I got the following email back a few minutes later:
Elda Brown is letting me use some of his time, very grateful for that.
That is such good news, I'm so pumped! Today has been so good you'll have to let me know the details about the job.
But I saw Elda Birky in the cafeteria this morning, so sick, I love that guy! He's so much more mature than me - ha. I yelled his name across the cafeteria to get his attention; wasn't even totally sure if it was him or not cuz I wasn't wearing the spectacles, ha-ha. But I ran over and gave him a big ol' bear hug, he's a great, great guy, ha-ha, love him.
I love all of ya'll as well, Au lomani noqu matavuvale kei itokani (I love my Fam & Friends).
Peace and blessings be with you---pray always,
Elda Palangi Hanke
****************
Grandparents....remember that "sick" = really cool!
FYI - Elder Birky is one of Garrett's very good friends that just got to the MTC yesterday, so you can tell that he was VERY happy to see him. :)
Monday, March 21, 2011
Another letter in the mail....
Ni Su Bala,
So this isn't the letter I was talking about in the email, I have to wait for a picture to be prirnted off to send to you. But I do need a few things...one pair of 36 x 32 Docker's from Kohl's, gray or black. If you could send those as soon as you get them, that would be great. Thanks. (That is actually all I need now, but in the next letter I'll have you make another shirt to send to me, but just the pants for now please.)
As for emails, I only have 30 minutes on the computer each Thursday so it's okay to ask some questions, like did I get my typhoid shot yet, but other than that just let me tell you how my week has gone, ha-ha, alright? It will make my email more enjoyable to read, I guarantee it.
Since I didn't get to it in my email I'll tell you how my week went now. I learned the sweetest story, I've gotta tell you.
So when I got here there were two Elders going to Fiji that were still waiting to leave. Elder Ikafarga from Australia, and Elder Estill from California. Very cool guys. (Elder Estill is pretty stocky.) We got talking the night before he left about sports and what not because I could tell he played football - he said he had played at a Junior College in Cali before he turned in his mission papers three years ago. After he turned them in he eventually got his call to Fiji. (I asked him how old he is and he said 23.) He told me that two months before he was supposed to leave he got in a bad car wreck that completely shattered his right femer. (I could tell it was hard for him to talk about all of this because of football.) While he was recovering he said his main concern was to be able to run again. After a year of therapy he finally came to terms with the fact that he wouldn't be able to run again, and there wouldn't be any more football. He said he went through the next year just feeling sorry for himself, when one night he had the urge to pray and ask Heavenly Father "why". Later on that week he said he got his answer, but not the one he was looking for. He said it hit him that he could still walk, so why wouldn't he still go on his mission? So he started the long process of filling out his papers again. He then got his second call to the exact same mission: Fiji Suva, speaking Fijian. He knew without a doubt that is exactly where he was supposed to go.
After these Elders left my teachers got an email from the Mission President's wife telling them where these two elders were transferred to. Elder Ikafarga is on the island of Vanua Levu, deep in the jungle, equipped with a grass hut, a 4-wheel drive truck, and some chickens for food...plus all of the fruit anyone could ever think of eating.
Elder Estill got sent to a tiny island called Robi where he has to learn a whole new language, but he will be there for eight months, just he and his companion. He will be the only one who speaks English.
I thought this was a pretty cool story to share with you guys. Gotta go now.
Love,
Elder Hanke
So this isn't the letter I was talking about in the email, I have to wait for a picture to be prirnted off to send to you. But I do need a few things...one pair of 36 x 32 Docker's from Kohl's, gray or black. If you could send those as soon as you get them, that would be great. Thanks. (That is actually all I need now, but in the next letter I'll have you make another shirt to send to me, but just the pants for now please.)
As for emails, I only have 30 minutes on the computer each Thursday so it's okay to ask some questions, like did I get my typhoid shot yet, but other than that just let me tell you how my week has gone, ha-ha, alright? It will make my email more enjoyable to read, I guarantee it.
Since I didn't get to it in my email I'll tell you how my week went now. I learned the sweetest story, I've gotta tell you.
So when I got here there were two Elders going to Fiji that were still waiting to leave. Elder Ikafarga from Australia, and Elder Estill from California. Very cool guys. (Elder Estill is pretty stocky.) We got talking the night before he left about sports and what not because I could tell he played football - he said he had played at a Junior College in Cali before he turned in his mission papers three years ago. After he turned them in he eventually got his call to Fiji. (I asked him how old he is and he said 23.) He told me that two months before he was supposed to leave he got in a bad car wreck that completely shattered his right femer. (I could tell it was hard for him to talk about all of this because of football.) While he was recovering he said his main concern was to be able to run again. After a year of therapy he finally came to terms with the fact that he wouldn't be able to run again, and there wouldn't be any more football. He said he went through the next year just feeling sorry for himself, when one night he had the urge to pray and ask Heavenly Father "why". Later on that week he said he got his answer, but not the one he was looking for. He said it hit him that he could still walk, so why wouldn't he still go on his mission? So he started the long process of filling out his papers again. He then got his second call to the exact same mission: Fiji Suva, speaking Fijian. He knew without a doubt that is exactly where he was supposed to go.
After these Elders left my teachers got an email from the Mission President's wife telling them where these two elders were transferred to. Elder Ikafarga is on the island of Vanua Levu, deep in the jungle, equipped with a grass hut, a 4-wheel drive truck, and some chickens for food...plus all of the fruit anyone could ever think of eating.
Elder Estill got sent to a tiny island called Robi where he has to learn a whole new language, but he will be there for eight months, just he and his companion. He will be the only one who speaks English.
I thought this was a pretty cool story to share with you guys. Gotta go now.
Love,
Elder Hanke
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Report on MTC - Week #2
Ni Sa Bula Vinaka, (what’s up)
Stuff here at the MTC all just goes by way fast and it sort of all meshes together. At the end of the day you look back and realize how much you've learned and all of the sweet experiences you've had, it’s so sweet.
So questions... here’s the thing......no more questions unless its something urgent, and I don't see why there would be anything urgent in an e-mail. So, I'll answer them this week but for the rest of my mission I would just like to tell you what’s on my mind. (Instead of yours, ha-ha, no offense).
1.) I got both of the packages you sent, thank you very much, but we’re not allowed music at the MTC or in the field. And any more packages you send do not put candy in them until I leave the MTC. Nobody eats it because we are never really that hungry. There are a couple things I would like, though, and that is if you’re ever in a store and you come across a sweet paisley tie then send it my way. We do tie trades here so half the ties I have now weren't mine when I got here, but I hold on to the paisley ties for sure.
By the way, I will be sending you a letter with a picture of a shirt in it and I would like you to follow the instructions of the letter carefully and quickly. You'll know what I mean when you get it.
2.) I'll wait to get the shots when I have all the paper work.
3.) I think I'll just get the converter in Fiji
4.) I don't have that packet you’re talking about.
There, now just answer one of my questions: What is the deal with the car??? You seriously haven't told me yet. Ha, ha, ha, ha…
Now I have 5 minutes to tell you about my week because I chicken peck. We have what are called “progressive investigators”, which are just teachers who play a role as an investigator who you and your companion teach. Elder Chlarson and I have two and we’re doing it in English until around the 4-week mark, then we'll switch to Fijian. Anyways Fiji
Ha-ha…there is no way we would be able to watch the BYU game even though it would be nice – that’s not happening.
Anyway…I hope everyone is doing well and that work and what not is going good. Thanks to everyone who is writing to me, I appreciate it.
Pray and study often.
SOTA TALE,
Elder Garrett Hanke
**************
Note from Garrett's Mama: Maybe when Garrett gets to Fiji he'll have more time on P day to answer questions - and maybe he won't be so blunt in his responses. :) Since I gave birth to him, and we raised him, and we've all tolerated his antics for 19 years, I figure we can ask questions if we want or need to. (Doesn't mean we'll get answers, but we can still ask.) Thanks to everyone for your love and support!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Life in the MTC...
Here are the first few letters we've received from Elder Garrett Hanke. First two came in the mail, and the third was an email...finally!
March 2, 2011 (handwritten letter received in the mail)
Mom (Tina), Dad (Tama), Sister (Tuaka),
I stinkin' love you guys - greatest family I could've ever asked for. Now that's out of the way, I just want to let you know how well I am doing.
This place is great, it has everything I will need plus some so don't worry about me. My companion is Elder Chlarson and he is a pretty cool dude. The other two Elders in my room are Elder Shumway and Elder Harris. Elder Shumway is from Rexburg and is one of three kids in his family currently serving a mission. Elder Harris is from New Zealand and has a sweet accent. The other two in our district are Elder Brown, a wrestler from Payson, Utah, and Elder Pakeleato, a Tongan from South Carolina. All of us have the same call except Elder Shumway who is going to Boston, speaking Haitian-Creote. I have no idea why he is rooming with us, but no worries.
The days here are jam-packed with stuff to do, but they go by pretty quickly. The spirit from having thousands of missionaries in the same place is incredible. Everyone is doing the same thing and working very hard. I can already see the blessings from it.
I hope you made it home ok and that everything is good with the car. Take care of each other and be safe.
Love you,
Elder Garrett Hanke
************************
March 7, 2011 (handwritten letter received in the mail)
Here's the deal: The MTC said I am missing a few shots that I should definitely already have, so please send a paper with all of the immunizations I have ever had in my entire life so I can give it to them and hopefully that will be the end of it.
But otherwise I feel like I'm already starting to lose myself in the work. I honestly am not missing home at all and even today when we went on the Temple walk and had to cross the street it was kinda weird. The food is good, though, and I've gained four pounds of unwelcome fat.
There are a bunch of districts leaving on Tuesday...11 Tongan, 2 Fijian, and like 10 English that are in our ward. One Tongan Elder here is 6'7", wears a size 17 shoe, and weighs 360 pounds! He is one of the funniest people I've ever met.
My district is growing pretty tight, but Elder Chlarson and I are still having some rough edges, but it's good for the most part.
Part of my Branch Presidency, the Muirs, are actually going to be the new Mission Presidency for Fiji Suva Mission and they are way cool. Brother Muir actually served his mission in Fiji, so that's cool.
Sega Na Lega (no worries),
Elder Garrett Hanke
***********************************
March 10, 2011 (first email received)
Hanke family minus one, (ha-ha)
First of all, the scripture I want on my plaque in the church lobby is Doctrine & Covenants, Chapter 4, Verse 2:
"Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day."
My P Day is on Thursdays, but they just didn't give us our first one the day after I got here. So Mom, you can stop freaking out about that, but I only have like five minutes on this computer each Thursday, so here are the answers to your questions. 1.) I'm supposed to leave for Fiji on May 5th, but some district's dates have bounced around so it's not positive. 2.) Hopefully you got my letter about the shots. I don't really know what they're talking about, so maybe you should call in and try to figure it out. But I'm supposed to go back in there in two weeks to finish. 3.) The sandals are fine so don't worry about them. But for now I just wear flip flops that were like $1.00 in the store here. Everything is way cheap there, it's sick. 4.) I do wear the sulu around the dorms but not very much. 5.) Sundays are pretty chill, just a bunch of meetings. I like it, though. 6.) The food is dang good here and I eat a ton. I've gained four pounds since Wednesday - ha, ha! But I do a ton of sit ups and push ups so my waist shouldn't get too bad. Ha, ha, ha. 7.) The chocolate milk is good, but they have pop and juice and whatever you want to drink always. So I usually just drink it for breakfast. 8.) My room is on the second floor. (I don't know why that matters, really...ha, ha, ha.) 9.) Basketball is fun, but volleyball is where it's at because it gets way intense and there are some pretty athletic kids, so we usually just team up and work everyone over. 10.) My hair is fine, I probably won't get it cut for a couple of weeks. 11.) My sunburn peeled pretty dang bad for a few days, but is good now.
Hopefully you're happy now that I've answered your questions, so here are the things that I want to tell you:
Elder Brown (from Payson) and me get along way good and this place is way fun when we're together, he's pretty sweet. Elder Chlarson and I don't really have anything in common except for when it's time to study and teach. We bring the spirit in strong in those situations where it really matters. We do way good together, so I can tell that our companionship is not a coincidence. Fijian is the bomb, it's coming along way good and I already know a lot, like I could greet someone on the street and tell them why we're there, bear my testimony, and ask them if we could talk to them more about the gospel tomorrow - so sweet! The spirit is so strong here and we get so much accomplished each day...it goes by way fast. I can't even believe it's been a week already, but I know what I'm doing is right and that I'm here for a purpose, so I will work hard to be as good as I can.
Soto Tale,
Elder Garrett Hanke
P.S. Tell anyone who asks that I can only send one email a week to you and that's it.
************************
Here are some translations for those of you (grandparents) that don't grasp 19 year old male speak:
"freaking out" = Garrett's way of saying, "Mom, you ask too many questions!"
"way" = very
"sick" = very cool
"the bomb" = very cool
"chill" = relaxed
March 2, 2011 (handwritten letter received in the mail)
Mom (Tina), Dad (Tama), Sister (Tuaka),
I stinkin' love you guys - greatest family I could've ever asked for. Now that's out of the way, I just want to let you know how well I am doing.
This place is great, it has everything I will need plus some so don't worry about me. My companion is Elder Chlarson and he is a pretty cool dude. The other two Elders in my room are Elder Shumway and Elder Harris. Elder Shumway is from Rexburg and is one of three kids in his family currently serving a mission. Elder Harris is from New Zealand and has a sweet accent. The other two in our district are Elder Brown, a wrestler from Payson, Utah, and Elder Pakeleato, a Tongan from South Carolina. All of us have the same call except Elder Shumway who is going to Boston, speaking Haitian-Creote. I have no idea why he is rooming with us, but no worries.
The days here are jam-packed with stuff to do, but they go by pretty quickly. The spirit from having thousands of missionaries in the same place is incredible. Everyone is doing the same thing and working very hard. I can already see the blessings from it.
I hope you made it home ok and that everything is good with the car. Take care of each other and be safe.
Love you,
Elder Garrett Hanke
************************
March 7, 2011 (handwritten letter received in the mail)
Here's the deal: The MTC said I am missing a few shots that I should definitely already have, so please send a paper with all of the immunizations I have ever had in my entire life so I can give it to them and hopefully that will be the end of it.
But otherwise I feel like I'm already starting to lose myself in the work. I honestly am not missing home at all and even today when we went on the Temple walk and had to cross the street it was kinda weird. The food is good, though, and I've gained four pounds of unwelcome fat.
There are a bunch of districts leaving on Tuesday...11 Tongan, 2 Fijian, and like 10 English that are in our ward. One Tongan Elder here is 6'7", wears a size 17 shoe, and weighs 360 pounds! He is one of the funniest people I've ever met.
My district is growing pretty tight, but Elder Chlarson and I are still having some rough edges, but it's good for the most part.
Part of my Branch Presidency, the Muirs, are actually going to be the new Mission Presidency for Fiji Suva Mission and they are way cool. Brother Muir actually served his mission in Fiji, so that's cool.
Sega Na Lega (no worries),
Elder Garrett Hanke
***********************************
March 10, 2011 (first email received)
Hanke family minus one, (ha-ha)
First of all, the scripture I want on my plaque in the church lobby is Doctrine & Covenants, Chapter 4, Verse 2:
"Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day."
My P Day is on Thursdays, but they just didn't give us our first one the day after I got here. So Mom, you can stop freaking out about that, but I only have like five minutes on this computer each Thursday, so here are the answers to your questions. 1.) I'm supposed to leave for Fiji on May 5th, but some district's dates have bounced around so it's not positive. 2.) Hopefully you got my letter about the shots. I don't really know what they're talking about, so maybe you should call in and try to figure it out. But I'm supposed to go back in there in two weeks to finish. 3.) The sandals are fine so don't worry about them. But for now I just wear flip flops that were like $1.00 in the store here. Everything is way cheap there, it's sick. 4.) I do wear the sulu around the dorms but not very much. 5.) Sundays are pretty chill, just a bunch of meetings. I like it, though. 6.) The food is dang good here and I eat a ton. I've gained four pounds since Wednesday - ha, ha! But I do a ton of sit ups and push ups so my waist shouldn't get too bad. Ha, ha, ha. 7.) The chocolate milk is good, but they have pop and juice and whatever you want to drink always. So I usually just drink it for breakfast. 8.) My room is on the second floor. (I don't know why that matters, really...ha, ha, ha.) 9.) Basketball is fun, but volleyball is where it's at because it gets way intense and there are some pretty athletic kids, so we usually just team up and work everyone over. 10.) My hair is fine, I probably won't get it cut for a couple of weeks. 11.) My sunburn peeled pretty dang bad for a few days, but is good now.
Hopefully you're happy now that I've answered your questions, so here are the things that I want to tell you:
Elder Brown (from Payson) and me get along way good and this place is way fun when we're together, he's pretty sweet. Elder Chlarson and I don't really have anything in common except for when it's time to study and teach. We bring the spirit in strong in those situations where it really matters. We do way good together, so I can tell that our companionship is not a coincidence. Fijian is the bomb, it's coming along way good and I already know a lot, like I could greet someone on the street and tell them why we're there, bear my testimony, and ask them if we could talk to them more about the gospel tomorrow - so sweet! The spirit is so strong here and we get so much accomplished each day...it goes by way fast. I can't even believe it's been a week already, but I know what I'm doing is right and that I'm here for a purpose, so I will work hard to be as good as I can.
Soto Tale,
Elder Garrett Hanke
P.S. Tell anyone who asks that I can only send one email a week to you and that's it.
************************
Here are some translations for those of you (grandparents) that don't grasp 19 year old male speak:
"freaking out" = Garrett's way of saying, "Mom, you ask too many questions!"
"way" = very
"sick" = very cool
"the bomb" = very cool
"chill" = relaxed
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