General Conference update... mixed in with a little hunting and football...

Below is the first email we received from Elder Hanke today, which was a reply to his Dad's “guy talk” letter.  Steve told him about new truck tires, Josh and Dallon's elk hunting expedition, as well as some good General Conference comments.

Bula Vinaka,

Dang, you should send me a picture of the truck, ha!  There are no big trucks in Fiji besides the semis. All of the trucks are just little wimpy Tacomas and the trucks the mission drives are these Toyota Hi-lux. They’re not bad but I do miss seeing all the big trucks in Utah. But seriously, I love to hear about hunting and football! Especially pictures of hunting, now that’s the bomb.

Anyways, how is work going and all the family on that side?

Also, while I was watching the priesthood session of conference I thought that it would be a good idea for us to go together to the first one after I get home and maybe have Dallon and them come as well. Just an idea.

Thanks for the e-mail.

Peace and blessings,

Elder Hanke

We then received this great letter....

Isa Lei, conference was the bomb, right?! Ha, we had ours yesterday and Saturday; each session with an hour in between which was good.  I learned a lot of things and so much of it I felt was directly for me and how I can better my work and the people around me.  There was a story in one of the talks about a young deacon going home teaching with the Bishop to a member with financial problems and how they thought that they were very much so the wrong person to go with, but he went anyways. Afterwards he was saying how could someone who has never balanced money, had his own checkbook or anything like that be expected to be of any help in a situation like that, ha. Well that’s about the same way I feel. How could a 19 year old who was very poor at being smart with money, who never had to worry about his own money, be expected to take care of the finances of a whole mission?  Ha, I don't know. I feel very inadequate a lot of the time and I have to ask a lot of questions to be able to even operate, but somehow it works out and I accomplish the things I need to.

When I think about how much I complained during the day or how much I thought my job was the worst out of anyone’s in the mission, I stop and take a look around and think about how easy I have it compared to others, for example the other elders and sisters out there.  They are trying to bring souls unto Christ and that can be very frustrating at times when someone you love and care for chooses not to accept what you tell them. Another example is President Klingler (the mission president). He has one of the busiest lives I've ever seen, he is always leaving to other islands and dealing with missionary’s problems, but the cool thing is that he knew what he was getting himself into and he handles it very well.  I've never heard him say that it was too much or even that he had a bad day, even when I know he has. He is always willing to help. There are so many different people with more responsibility than me and I shouldn't worry, I can think of so many examples 

But as conference is over my thoughts are focused on my Savior and I think of Him.  Jesus Christ has done more for me than anyone. It is sometimes hard for me to imagine and hard to think about that time because it was so long ago. But really when I think about it, and how much sense it makes that for us to live with our families again, we would need a Savior, someone who could help us reach goals and receive blessings that to me seem so essential to our eternal lives. Think of how big of a deal it is that everything we as missionaries teach is true, if anyone can find out for themselves it is true, then it would change how they live their lives… for the better.  I know it is true, and general conference just gives me a stronger testimony of the church and everything dealing with it.  I know the stories I hear about Christ are true and that he did die for us, but mostly that he rose again for all of us so that we can do the same with our family eternally.

Thank you for all of the support. I'm low on time so that’s it.

Peace and Blessings,

Elder Hanke

Reading more humility in this week’s letter, as well as little yearning for hunting and football.  And dare I say that Elder Hanke might possibly be starting to surrender himself to the office work?  Before you know it, he might even tell us that he likes it!  J

Love to all, thank you so much for your support of Elder Hanke.