Service Projects... Transfers?

(This email was sent by Elder Hansen 2 weeks ago and we just received it! His connection to internet is not great and sending emails seem to be difficult and long).

Kaoha nui!!!

We had a lot of service projects this last week, which I love!

Our friend Taipi has a property really far and up in the mountains that has been neglected for a long time, so we went to help him clear the road to the property. It was a long walk but fun to see the "jungle" and get to know our friend Taipi more.

At another service project, we helped fill a ton of plastic pots for our amis to start planting some mangos.

There is so many mangos on this island it's crazy. Our amis neighbor had us for lunch afterwards, and we couldn't help but chuckle about the funny looking plant in their backyard. Marijuana is a huge problem here in the islands. It grows extremely well, and lots of people sit around and smoke all day...

On our adventure up into the mountains with Taipi we found a horse head in a tree. When the Marquises were "discovered", there was nearly 100,000 people that lived in these islands. We are near 10,000 today. A lot of diseases that had never existed for these people did a lot of damage. That's why there was a huge rise in number of animals. There was less people to take care of them and they became wild again and they eat everything. Hunting is the way they control it here and hence the animal bones that are everywhere on these islands. They make for cool necklaces and crafts, which replace the previous human bone ones :)

This next week is our last week of the transfer, and we have no clue what changes will be made... I really hope to stay and see the creation of this branch. My companion does too. We'll see if we both stay! We'll find out this Saturday. This next week should be a good week.

I feel extremely grateful for all the help I've had to get me where I am. As I reflect on these last 20 months, it's impossible to count how many times that members, leaders, friends, and family supported us, gave us food and gifts, and so much more. I've learned countless priceless lessons from all of them. We were called to teach, but I think teachers learn just as much as they teach. Thank you for all you do, even reading these updates. I'm loving my mission:)

Koutau nui mes amis! A pae! Ia mokai!

Elder Hansen :)