Happy 19th Birthday!

So this week was decent haha. Two days we had to stay in and rest because my companion had a HUGE angatamaki (boil) on his neck!!! It was disgusting. We went to the doctor for it and he sat down for 30 seconds and the doctor just wrote a prescription for antibiotics and didn’t even look at it. But it was massive and once it was clean it was a massive hole in his neck haha! Ya I almost threw up! A lady in one of our wards did a homemade remedy with leaves that she would chew and put on his neck for the day and it was good after 3 days!

But other than that we have been working hard! We have created what we call Vilo Hoa where we go around with either the kau talavou mamalohi (the inactive young men) or the teuteu faifekau (the ones preparing for missions). It just depends on the ward. We split up and go a'ahi (visit) the kau mamalohi (inactive members) and invite them to church so Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday we do that with each of the 4 wards. One day we taught 11 lessons and got 4 referrals! It went really good!

People always ask how old we are and when they hear that we are only 18 (now 19 for me) they are like blown away! One girl said I look like 23 which I cannot see haha but since almost everyone asks that I say "oku ta'u taha valu au ka hoku birthday i he uike kaha'u" (I am 18 but my birthday is next week). So a lot of people know it's my birthday today haha so I have already got 3 cakes and 2 plates of cinnamon rolls and it is only 12 o'clock! The people in these two villages are so nice especially since I am a papalangi (white man) haha!

I got the plunger thing mom. (I sent a MobileWasher - Hand Operated Clothes Washer.) I got the bag from the Filimoeatu's and my Christmas package so thanks for everything! We popped the lock off the bag in 5 seconds with a bobby pin. We actually had one cuz to hold our tauvala to make it look good we use those or a pin.  I still haven’t gotten the box from the ward but will probably get it next month haha. So the plunger thing I didn’t open til after doing laundry this morning.... haha I was wondering what the heck that cone thing was with a wooden stick! But it should help a lot haha! :)

We have a baptism this week depending on the girls’ parents! Here, even if they are 24 we have to make sure it is ok with their parents because if not they get mad and it’s like a battle between the churches! One guy we are teaching was baptized already but the day before the confirmation he was at the beach with his friends and his family came with the police to take him away from the LDS boys.... it’s crazy!

So one day at fafanga we ate a TON!!! And afterwards we asked if there was anything we could help him with and he said “No, I heard your prayer when you blessed the food and you blessed my family so that is all I can ask. That is all that I need from you. My family will get many blessings from the Lord by us feeding you.” I almost cried right there ha! It is amazing the members’ faith here! So we talked to a guy who is already baptized and is very welcoming to us but goes to the Catholic Church. We asked him why people are so against us teaching them. He says they will listen but right when we talk about the BOM they get scared and won’t talk because they know that once they read it they will believe it all ha! Like we brainwash them or something! So that is something that is hard for us because EVERYONE knows the faifekau Mamonga (Mormon missionaries) here because we are EVERYWHERE ha! That’s why we usually baptize kids cuz they aren’t as stubborn and will listen to us!

Anyways today is P-Day and my B-Day so I am going to go play some volleyball and eat another cake and some puaka (pig)!!! haha Love you all and I hope that everything continues to go well!! Love you all!

Much Love,

Elder Hanisimani

Our baptism.

My comp's boil.  Haha.  He said you could post the picture.
The leaf treatment is working.

After the treatment. Straight up hole in his neck!

Ha'alaufuli and Ta'anea

This week!

So it started out…Tuesday it was POURING rain walking to fafanga (dinner). Then after fafanga we were supposed to walk to my old village for a district meeting so Tu'akalau and I started walking in the pouring rain! It was nice ha but our planners and white handbooks got soaked.... Right when we were getting into the village, they called us and said it was canceled because the Zone Leaders were coming to bring them to the airport to go to Tonga.... So we walked all that way just to go right back haha. We were soooooo soaked!!! But I had a smile the whole time! Surprising I know! But we were able to baptize our Laumalie this week! Mela'ia Hoko! I did the baptism but sorry mom I can’t send pics. I don’t know where my adapter is haha. No surprise there! But this week we plan to have two more baptisms!! Friday night walking back to our house a guy stopped us and said he wants to be baptized so he can serve a mission like us! He was already baptized but not confirmed! So this week we hope to get that all done. He seems excited! We also have two others we are teaching and hope to baptize one of them! We have been working hard and I ALWAYS come home exhausted!!! So I am very happy haha. Yesterday Elder Tu'akalau confirmed Mela'ia so that was good! But my comp has a HUGE angatamaki (boil) growing on his neck (common from infected bug bites). It is pretty gross!!! Haha I can’t handle popping it... it’s gross haha but anyways other than that the week was just another week! Working hard and getting tan/dirty/sweaty/too many things haha!  I am loving it though! 6 months down, 18 to go! Now it’s like a sister missionary!!! Haha anyways they told us they were cooking a dog and some pigs for P-day so I am going to go check that out! Love you all!!!! Oh wait, Mom, so this lady in Ta'anea has a son serving a mission in Papua New Guinea so she said I can be her son this year cuz I think his birthday is in February too! She said she will make me a cake! 3 Families actually said they will make me cake so I am excited for next p day! :) haha Love you guys stay good!

Helaman 14 is a good scripture about Christ’s eternal role!

Much Love,

Elder Hanisimani

P.S.To answer your questions:  Yes Vika and Danny got the package to Tonga. They called from a missionary’s phone. But I don’t know when I will get the package from the mission home.  I still haven’t gotten the Christmas package yet.  Yes I bore my testimony today in one ward after we did the confirmation. One village is helping us a lot and the other I feel is maybe starting to trust us again cuz they see us working! I don’t know how big my village is in miles. Google map it haha! It’s all of Ha'alaufuli and Ta'anea. The Chinese store is just an import store. Everything is good here in my new house. There is a mouse in our attic here too! Electricity and everything works fine but it just feels smaller to me ha!

Transferred to Ha'alaufuli/Ta'anea

How was  your trip to Maine and the funeral?  I wish I could have been there with you.  I miss Maine.  

This week has been great! We had a zone meeting and interviews with President and I got transferred to the village over-- Ha'alaufuli/Ta'anea!! I love this area! I am working with Elder Tu'akalau! Remember, my roommate from the MTC! I am senior companion! Haha! We have our first baptism Wednesday! It feels good to actually work.

The kaingalotu (members) are starting to trust us because they see us working!!! We have our first baptism Wednesday!!! We have taught this girl every day since Saturday and hope to baptize her!!! And tonight for Family Home Evening we have had 3 families invite us over and they said they will have people/families for us to teach! It has been hard because I am Senior Companion now but we work really well because we stayed in the same room in the MTC haha! His language has progressed really well so it’s good!

I love everything here right now! So I guess in March Elder Neil L. Anderson is coming to do a mission tour in Tonga!!! Hopefully I can see him. We saw him in the MTC! Anyways I am just happy to be working so well with my companion and getting the work going here! The Fale Siana (Chinese Store) is right down the road from our house so we sit out there at night cuz so many people come there to get food for the next day! That is how we have our baptism this week is from asking people we see walk by haha I love it! Anyways I love you all! Sorry my letters are always so short. Just know that I love you all and everything is great here!

Ofa Lahi Atu Kimoutolu! <3

Elder Hanisimani

Grampy Pete Passed Away

We didn't have the mission conference this week because of everything happening on Ha'apai. There is nothing that is needed service wise here from the cyclone.  It’s just hot as heck and the mosquitos are crazy! Thirty missionaries from Tonga are going to Ha'apai to help and I heard 3 boats got sent here by the Church so there is lots of help going on!

I still haven't been to the temple here, mostly because I am on a completely different island. But I keep hearing that sometime they are going to bring us all in to go to the temple but I don't think that that will ever happen.

Sorry to hear about Grampy Pete.... Now you have some temple work to do mom! Get his stuff done so that he can have the same happiness as us! I probably won’t see the new temple video til I return so I will have to wait.

This week we taught a lot more than usual! We stayed away from our house and found new people to teach!  But our two new investigators that are progressing the best return to Tonga this week so that isn't any fun... But the Peace Corp Kate is returning this week so we will see if she read the Book of Mormon I gave her. Mom, do you remember where I guessed I’d serve If I got a call in America???? Wisconsin, the place where she is from haha! God put me here for a reason and I found it! haha I hope she decides to get baptized!

So in our lessons we teach in Tongan and my comp hasn't been letting me do anything but my testimony so that sucks... I talked to him and not much changed.... we will see how this week goes and if I get to talk to president or not!

Anyways I love you all! Hope all is well! Sorry no pictures. Nothing happens.... I never take pictures anymore!  Tell Karissa to write me! Once every 4 months is good ;) Love you all talk next week!

Elder Huntsman

Cyclone Ian's Destruction in Ha'apai

The Ha'apai Island Group is just south of Kamden's Vava'u Islands.  Amazingly there were few injuries or deaths reported.  We're so grateful that Kamden was kept out of harm's way.  I spent the day in prayer and temple worship and felt at peace.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Tonga now.  These photos were taken by Digicel Tonga employees.  As always, click on photo to enlarge. ~Stephanie

Major destruction!

Roofs torn off!

Homes and other buildings flattened!

Belongings scattered.

Still smiling!

This courthouse was lifted right off its foundation and set back down.
Notice where the steps to the door are!

Families and pets displaced!

Get to work, Elders!

Cyclone Ian Strikes Tonga

So the cyclone.... to me, it just felt like a bad Idaho storm! haha I didn't feel like it was really that bad here! It knocked out power but there was no destruction in my village.  I don’t know about the other villages here in Vava’u or the other islands. The kids were out playing rugby in it so they must not have felt it was that bad either!   I haven't heard anything about the other islands or anything they might have gotten it worse but here it wasn't anything.  It just kept us in for a day. Right now our house is the only one without power but I don’t mind it.  I have running water and fresh water.  The stores are open. 

Other than that we have been trying to find someone to teach. It sucks not being able to say much in Tongan still cuz I never know if what I think about saying is what I should say.  When I try and talk with people they don't seem to understand.... ha but it is getting better! I love studying the Book of Mormon and other church books! I love the history and stuff like that, not so much a fan of the war chapters and such though. I always tend to get bored reading those.

So this morning after doing laundry I think I heard a mouse in our attic running around above my head..... so that's just great right haha! When it rains it drips out of our light sockets and plugs and holes in our ceiling. I duct taped one hole and baby geckos got stuck in it and died so that's pretty gross haha. I am here in Tu'anekivale for another 6 weeks so that will be 5 months here.  Fun I know!

Anyways love you all hope all is well!  I just heard Ha'apai got hit hard…80% destroyed! The church is sending 3 boats from the States to help out (so I hear).

-Elder Huntsman

(After sharing with us some trials and frustrations he is having, he stated- I know I haven't been perfect on this mission because it’s the "Misiona Tonga" and everything is "ok" here so I just followed the examples of everyone else but I realize that those things bring instant happiness and instant happiness doesn't last. The happiness that lasts is obedience, work, and seeing that person grow closer to Christ and take those steps into the water to become a member of the church, But the Tongan elders don't understand that. This is their home so it seems they act as if at home, not as missionaries.) The struggles of the palangi (white boy)!!

Can you pick out the palangi?

Playing piano.

Wearing my comp's pink slippers.  Mine broke again!

Studying!

Nothing happening...

It was another slow week.  Not much happens here. Our areas are too small. My area is one of the smallest ones. All the others have two or three villages.  We have talked to everyone at least twice. It’s hard to stay busy.  We just walk around and never get any new investigators. The ones we have have already been taught for years!!! And the Peace Corp lady we only teach every other week or so.  I don’t know how into it she is!  As far as doing service goes, they don’t like accepting service. Too stubborn ha! It’s hard but I try and do something always! I read the Book of Mormon a lot!

New Years was no big deal. They didn’t really celebrate here. Transfers are next Monday! They are every 6 weeks. I will probably stay in this area because I am still in follow up training for the next 7 weeks.

Did you get the pens I said to put in the package?  The metal ones… I forgot what they are called and the name wore off but I have used it this whole time and it still works so send a couple more.... Oh, they are called Zebra 130 or something like that. Please send like 3 black and 2 blue ha!

No I don’t need new slippers (flip flops). I buy them when my other ones break. I like going without them some days ha! I scrub my feet like crazy every night they’re so covered in dirt and mud.  My stash of medicine is fine... I still haven’t had a solid poop since the MTC ha!  I found some deodorant here.   They have American and Chinese stores here!  You can send any candy or American food.  It is much appreciated!  :)