Sunday, December 18, 2011

Countdown to Christmas...

Bula Vinaka Na

How is it? Cold? Haha, suckers.

Not gonna lie though, I kinda miss the snow, alright I REALLY miss it. It doesn't feel like December here, just feels like everyone is playing Christmas music in July, but oh well, ha.

First I wanna say thanks for the package and also would like to ask a question: How did you expect me to take all of the little bags on the 20 passenger plane back to Labasa? Haha! Needless to say I opened it all, gave away all the candy and somehow stuffed all the other stuff into my bag somewhat successfully.

Now for the week, sweeeeeet, got back to Labasa on Thursday, and just started working away. We had two of our investigators baptized on Saturday, and 28 members came to our jungle chapel in Naduna. The chapel is the one we helped build like the first day I got here, it has four posts with a tin roof and no walls.  The members are so happy to have it, before they would just pull out some mats and sit on the ground.  Now we have 40 chairs out there and a chalkboard for the class.  We were able to get 10 copies of the Sunday School teaching book in Fijian, so now we can actually teach a class. Our newly ordained unit President came to church and the only other two Priesthood brethren came to church also.  We taught them how to bless and pass the sacrament, so we’re starting to get some functionality out there, so in a few months if the Elders didn't come to church they would be able to still have a little Sacrament meeting.

We went out to some of our less-active members’ way out in the middle of nowhere and the little pick-ups we have barely made it, ha.  No cars had been there for what looked like years but one thing we were told is to not worry too much about the trucks, but worry about the people we need to visit, but still be smart but don't let the roads hold us back, haha.  So that’s exactly what we did and it was a blast, ha.

That Chief out in the Koro/village is still waiting for us to get out there and visit him so he can be baptized, so that is our main priority this week. We are also just gonna go look for service opportunities out in the villages and do some work for them, then hopefully we can get into some huts and get teaching.  Ha, I'm so stoked to be back out and getting sweaty and dirty, it’s the best place to do missionary work in the world because it so different.  We have to do some crazy stuff just to teach people and I'm way excited for it.
We'll be Skyping on my Monday  (for Christmas), so Sunday there.  I reserved the place from 10 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon, so you can figure out what time that will be there.
Send my love to Grandpa Ed as well, I know everything that happens will happen how it’s supposed to, and that everything will be fine.

Love you all.

Peace and Blessings,

Elder Hanke
He does seem to sound much better, really upbeat; so grateful for that!
And yes, of course I asked him a few times how he was feeling, but no, I obviously didn’t get an answer.  Guess we’ll have to go with the “no new is good news” theory. (Although I’m not much of a believer in that at all! Didn’t work out so well for us as far as the mission goes, but I’ll try to keep the faith that he is doing much better.)
Now, on to the anticipation of the long-awaited “Best Christmas Present Ever”!!!  J
Happy Holidays!

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