So this week was super awesome! We are opening an area so the first few days we really were just trying to get a basis that we could build off of like the members, a few solid investigators, and getting to know the Ward. The Stake President is seriously awesome! His family just had four boys return from their missions in the past month- all at once! We have been using them a lot to get a basis, to translate, and help us teach. They were all missionaries so they all know how to teach too and it's awesome. Their last name is Kalio so everyone just calls them the Kalio boys. I think of them more as stripling warriors! They are all so awesome and have such awesome testimonies. Also this week we got our first two baptismal dates. They are both on the 7th of November (which is the first time we can do them since they have to go to church three times first). General Conference will be this coming up week so I get to watch it twice!! Also this week I've really gotten to learn a lot of Pohnpeian. I'm starting to contribute more in lessons in Pohnpeian and not just translating. I'm also starting to get to know the Ward and the people a lot better because of it. The language is like no
language I've ever heard and it's really confusing at times. When I come back speaking it you are all going to wonder what planet I went to!!! Also the locals here are all really, really nice. You just walk up and say, “Hello” in Pohnpeian and they will at least talk to you and most of the time will let you teach them. Also I love the culture here. They really care about families and they are all super caring and loving. It pretty much rains every day all day so when I come back to Utah I'm going to die!!! My shoes are actually holding up pretty good however I think I may give in and commit social suicide and transition to Crocs.... We take our shoes off at pretty much every house and Crocs will help with that. During district meeting the Sister’s car got broken into so we have been driving them a lot. One thing that I've noticed is that even though the houses are branches
and corrugated steel, their cars are like 2015 Toyotas and stuff! Our car is a new Hyundai Tuscan and I love it. The roads here are really, really bad and the pot holes are everywhere so a car that is semi-high
is really nice for the deep ones. So a little bit about my apartment, it is pretty much painted plywood with some support beams. It's super weird because it's like two houses connected by a wall with a window in the middle. So to go from our kitchen and front room to our bedroom and shower we have to go outside and walk to the other door. We have 6 doors in our house that is about 30'x30'. It has a lot of doors. Also one thing I will always appreciate when I come home is warm water. I swear the water that we shower in is liquid ice! The water coming out of our tap is a good 30 degrees warmer than the water out of the shower and yes, we've tested it!!! We don't have any AC which really sucks sometimes but we have fans to keep us cool. The only thing that I haven't gotten used to yet is all of the ants. There are seriously probably about as many ants in
our apartment as there are people on Earth. Also I'm pretty sure ants started out in Pohnpei! Luckily there are tons of awesome little lizards which are my best friends. They eat ants by the hundreds every
day. They are super cool with bright blue tales and bright orange stomachs. Also there are some gecko looking things that have like suction cups on their feet and they are always on the ceiling and the walls. It’s cool to see them everywhere. There are so many different kinds of lizards and they are everywhere! Also something that's super weird is that there are chickens just walking around everywhere and pigs too! Pigs are considered pets here and they treat them so well. They are really mean to dogs which I don't like and all the dogs love me because I am the only one that will pet them. Seriously there are so many things that I can't really explain
through words and I will just have to show you pictures. Also look up Pohnpei on google and see where I'm living. It should be in the area Ohwa or Misihsou. It should be a house with big concrete stairs and a really nice view. Oh my view!!! Probably my favorite thing about our house. It is really pretty and it's awesome to see all the little islands in the morning. I love island life! It doesn't seem like I'm on an island sometimes because there aren't beaches and we are never by the shore but I love it here. The people here live so modestly and
they have a lot of American things, but also nothing at the same time. For example they will have a big TV but then live in thatched huts with dirt floors (which is what most people live in). Also if you want to try the food we eat make some Die Duhs! It is flour and banana mushed together into like a paste and then you deep fry it! You might need to add some sugar or something to it to make it as sweet as the ones here but it is by far my favorite food here- and probably ever!
language I've ever heard and it's really confusing at times. When I come back speaking it you are all going to wonder what planet I went to!!! Also the locals here are all really, really nice. You just walk up and say, “Hello” in Pohnpeian and they will at least talk to you and most of the time will let you teach them. Also I love the culture here. They really care about families and they are all super caring and loving. It pretty much rains every day all day so when I come back to Utah I'm going to die!!! My shoes are actually holding up pretty good however I think I may give in and commit social suicide and transition to Crocs.... We take our shoes off at pretty much every house and Crocs will help with that. During district meeting the Sister’s car got broken into so we have been driving them a lot. One thing that I've noticed is that even though the houses are branches
and corrugated steel, their cars are like 2015 Toyotas and stuff! Our car is a new Hyundai Tuscan and I love it. The roads here are really, really bad and the pot holes are everywhere so a car that is semi-high
is really nice for the deep ones. So a little bit about my apartment, it is pretty much painted plywood with some support beams. It's super weird because it's like two houses connected by a wall with a window in the middle. So to go from our kitchen and front room to our bedroom and shower we have to go outside and walk to the other door. We have 6 doors in our house that is about 30'x30'. It has a lot of doors. Also one thing I will always appreciate when I come home is warm water. I swear the water that we shower in is liquid ice! The water coming out of our tap is a good 30 degrees warmer than the water out of the shower and yes, we've tested it!!! We don't have any AC which really sucks sometimes but we have fans to keep us cool. The only thing that I haven't gotten used to yet is all of the ants. There are seriously probably about as many ants in
our apartment as there are people on Earth. Also I'm pretty sure ants started out in Pohnpei! Luckily there are tons of awesome little lizards which are my best friends. They eat ants by the hundreds every
day. They are super cool with bright blue tales and bright orange stomachs. Also there are some gecko looking things that have like suction cups on their feet and they are always on the ceiling and the walls. It’s cool to see them everywhere. There are so many different kinds of lizards and they are everywhere! Also something that's super weird is that there are chickens just walking around everywhere and pigs too! Pigs are considered pets here and they treat them so well. They are really mean to dogs which I don't like and all the dogs love me because I am the only one that will pet them. Seriously there are so many things that I can't really explain
through words and I will just have to show you pictures. Also look up Pohnpei on google and see where I'm living. It should be in the area Ohwa or Misihsou. It should be a house with big concrete stairs and a really nice view. Oh my view!!! Probably my favorite thing about our house. It is really pretty and it's awesome to see all the little islands in the morning. I love island life! It doesn't seem like I'm on an island sometimes because there aren't beaches and we are never by the shore but I love it here. The people here live so modestly and
they have a lot of American things, but also nothing at the same time. For example they will have a big TV but then live in thatched huts with dirt floors (which is what most people live in). Also if you want to try the food we eat make some Die Duhs! It is flour and banana mushed together into like a paste and then you deep fry it! You might need to add some sugar or something to it to make it as sweet as the ones here but it is by far my favorite food here- and probably ever!
I hope all is well with everyone at home! I would love people to write me letters or to email me!
My email is travis.hanson@myldsmail.net and the Islands Post Office is PO Box 2203 Kolonia, Pohnpei FSM 96941.
Also if anyone would like a hand carved Ukulele or a Lava Lava I would love to share the culture! I love you all and if there is anything I can do like an encouraging letter or something let me know! I love you all! You are all in my prayers! My scripture for you this week is D&C 4. It is my
mission scripture and it seriously helps me in my mission so much. I
hope that all of you will realize what our purpose here on Earth is
and try to learn and gain as much experience as you can while on this
Earth because we will be here for only a very short time compared to
eternity. God LOVES YOU ALL! REMEMBER THAT! AND SO DO !!!!!
Love -Elder Hanson
mission scripture and it seriously helps me in my mission so much. I
hope that all of you will realize what our purpose here on Earth is
and try to learn and gain as much experience as you can while on this
Earth because we will be here for only a very short time compared to
eternity. God LOVES YOU ALL! REMEMBER THAT! AND SO DO !!!!!
Love -Elder Hanson
*** Also here are some excerpts from emails to the family. We asked him a couple of questions and these were some of his responses. Sorry for the weird formatting. It came that way and after fixing the whole email above ^ , I gave up :) Hopefully you get the gist. -Monica (Elder Hanson's sister)
The food is great and we pretty much eat rice with every meal, which I
> love. Also my favorite food by far now in the world is called Die Duhs
> which is banana and flour, then deep fried! It is so good and I
> could eat it forever! you might need to add some sugar to it to make
> it as sweet as the bananas here! Also coconuts here are really good.
> They taste like if you added coconut flavoring to a semi flat sprite. Also they eat
> chicken a lot, Ramen Noodles and Spam with everything. Luckily our house
> does have mattresses and a mosquito net would be nice but it's just
> impractical here and no one uses them because you just put a fan on
> you at night and it keeps them away. So don't send one. Also I don't
> think they have yet (referring to packages that anyone has sent),
> love. Also my favorite food by far now in the world is called Die Duhs
> which is banana and flour, then deep fried! It is so good and I
> could eat it forever! you might need to add some sugar to it to make
> it as sweet as the bananas here! Also coconuts here are really good.
> They taste like if you added coconut flavoring to a semi flat sprite. Also they eat
> chicken a lot, Ramen Noodles and Spam with everything. Luckily our house
> does have mattresses and a mosquito net would be nice but it's just
> impractical here and no one uses them because you just put a fan on
> you at night and it keeps them away. So don't send one. Also I don't
> think they have yet (referring to packages that anyone has sent),
I haven't gotten them yet because the district
> leaders pick them up for us. I will see when they give them to me.
The bugs I'm getting used to.
> I'm pretty sure ants originated from Pohnpei because they are
> seriously everywhere! I had a cough drop in my outside pocket in my
> bag and when we went to leave in the morning there was a solid stream
> about three inches wide of MILLIONS of ants coming in and out of my
> bag. Seriously I wanted to burn the house down.... But it's all fine
> and good now and I learned my lesson. Anything that can been chewed
> through and that has a smell we put in the fridge. P-days we study
> till around 10:30 then drive to Kolonia and we usually start emailing
> around noon. Then we go do laundry and then just do misc .things around
> town like fill up our car and groceries and paper and stuff. Then we
> play sports with all the missionaries. Today we might go see a waterfall but
> leaders pick them up for us. I will see when they give them to me.
The bugs I'm getting used to.
> I'm pretty sure ants originated from Pohnpei because they are
> seriously everywhere! I had a cough drop in my outside pocket in my
> bag and when we went to leave in the morning there was a solid stream
> about three inches wide of MILLIONS of ants coming in and out of my
> bag. Seriously I wanted to burn the house down.... But it's all fine
> and good now and I learned my lesson. Anything that can been chewed
> through and that has a smell we put in the fridge. P-days we study
> till around 10:30 then drive to Kolonia and we usually start emailing
> around noon. Then we go do laundry and then just do misc .things around
> town like fill up our car and groceries and paper and stuff. Then we
> play sports with all the missionaries. Today we might go see a waterfall but
people wanted to play rugby instead. We do have to pay for
> internet at internet cafés but its usually around 2 dollars for an
> hour which is fine. Also everything here is super expensive! We get
> $215 every month which covers everything though. We do get fed pretty
> good by the locals and they are super nice. So like you guys have
> already been doing if you want to send candy in the packages that
> would be nice and I would love you forever, even though I already do!
> But a snickers is like $3 here. One thing I've noticed is that
> everything is sweet here and the tastes are completely different. Try
> making the Die Duhs!!! It's so good!!!!
> internet at internet cafés but its usually around 2 dollars for an
> hour which is fine. Also everything here is super expensive! We get
> $215 every month which covers everything though. We do get fed pretty
> good by the locals and they are super nice. So like you guys have
> already been doing if you want to send candy in the packages that
> would be nice and I would love you forever, even though I already do!
> But a snickers is like $3 here. One thing I've noticed is that
> everything is sweet here and the tastes are completely different. Try
> making the Die Duhs!!! It's so good!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment