Dearly Loved

Malo Soifua Aiga!

Well, I'm going to first apologize because this week didn't have as
many interesting stories. I am happy to here your update however.

Thayne HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! I hope it's a good one sole. I'm going to try and send your gift this week. 

gangster speakers made out or tractor tires. I want them for my man cave...:)

Also tell Mckenna congrats! That's very exciting. 

Savaii was a completely different island. I'm really enjoying Tutuila though. It has kind of an American feel about it that is just different than what I have been used to. 

I went on an exchange this week to Leone. We climbed a mountain for a visit. Nice view :)

The work has been different as well. 44% of our members came to church the other day, and that was
240 people...Needless to say a huge ward, but I work mainly with less-actives. It has been nice though with the ward support. The members that are strong, are really strong.

The funny story this week happened yesterday in church. A sister was giving her talk, and then decided to do a hymn in the middle of it. Her voice cracked every time she sang the chorus and it was one of the
funniest things ever...She was even laughing which made it ten times better hahaha.

Shout out to my boy Hunter! Soon to be Elder Jensen. You are going to do awesome in Australia man!

Thank you all for the update. I keep you all in my prayers, and want
you to know that you are all very dearly loved :)

I hope you all have a great week!

Alofa Atu,

Elder Hunter

I have officially met the Devil- Her name is Honey

Malo Soifua Aiga!

Air view of Tutuila

Well it was a pretty good week this week. Happy (belated) Easter to everyone back home! Here is my weekly update:

-General Conference was an adventure. Luckily I got to watch it this time in English and it was streamed live. Only issue was we have a 4-hour time difference here so we watched it at 5 in the morning...Needless to say I was pretty tired, but it was a great General conference :)

-I have officially met the Devil in the form of a dog. Her name is Honey, and she is the exact opposite. This is the dog that bit me, and almost got my hand this week...I was telling a family about it and they were laughing so hard haha. I said, "Sese lana igoa. Ua ia le suamalie!" (Wrong name, she isn't sweet) 

-We got to do a Family Home Evening last week with some recent converts which was cool. I decided to use my uke and we played some church songs and told riddles which they really enjoyed :)

-

I don't know who all got the chance to watch conference, but the two talks I like the most were Dale G Renlund's amd Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's. 

From Brother Renlund's I liked the quotes, "a saint is a sinner that keeps trying." and "I don't shame to tell you what I was, because so sweet is my change." 

Some people say that people never truly change. That just simply isn't true. We all have the potential to change for the better. We are all prone to certain sins, and will occasionally make the same mistakes. 

However, as we can be assured of the full and magnificent power of the Atonement. We just all need to continue to keep trying.

I hope you all have a great week this week! 

Alofa tele atu outou!

Elder Hunter

I'm officially a time traveler!

Malo Soifua Aiga!

Oh the stories I have to tell you all this week hahaha All I have to
say is enjoy:

-While serving in Lotopa those 4 days with Elder Harn and Nausa, a
lady bought us all lunch and started talking to us. 
Here name is Sister Sherman and she lives in Boston. She apparently grew up and
went to Pesega (the church college here) and went to school with
Brother Schwenke and wanted me to say hi. Her Maiden name was Moores,
and she was really nice. Small world haha

-I came over on Wednesday on this sketchy plane and got to Tutuila on
Tuedsay. I'm officially a time-traveler :)

Tutuila is so much different then Savaii. Sidewalks, everyone has a
truck, American products...Needless to say I am very happy here :) It
is still kind of a culture shock but I am really enjoying it :)

-My ward is really strong and has almost 500 members, only about 248
came on Sunday so I will be working primarily with less-actives. 
I met a guy who calls himself "U.S.A" hahaha he won't tell me his real name
hahaha

-I officially ate the legendary Marvin Burger. 3 patties, 3 pieces of
cheese, and 3 pieces of bacon...I was in heaven hahaha :) I've made a
rule that I can only have 2 a month haha

-I met Brent Schwenke, Brother Schwenke's older brother. He is in a
different ward, but we all go to the same chapel. It was really cool!
He sends his love  :)

I have 10 in my district, I walk everywhere, tons of hills
which is good .   I'm adjusted, and working hard! 
My comp is a stud :) I LOVE TUTUILA!!!!!

-I'll be sending my camera home because it broke...:( Do you mind
trying to fix it? Thanks :)


Oh and I got bit by a dog...they are terrible here!!! Luckily it was
just a taster-it didn't break the skin but yeah… I used my umbrella against it, so I have to buy another one because one dog
bit a huge chunk in it…hahaha

It has been a culture shock but it has been good :) I hope you all
have a great week :)

Alofa atu outou!
Elder Hunter

Tiiihhooo! :)

Malo Soifua Aiga!

Well, this week has been quite interesting...:) Here is the update:

-Sadly my companion Elder Aokuso went home this week. He got some type of sickness, but hopefully he'll be able to come back in a month or so. I've been praying for him. 

-I am officially getting transferred! My new area is.....Pava'ia'i! It is in American Samoa.

 I leave on Wednesday

 I'm currently on Upolu with two other Elders.

 My new companion's name is Elder Siaki. He is a Samoan native and he finishes in September.

 I'm going to be a District Leader and am looking forward to trying a new island. 

I've officially hit all three islands! Tiiihhooo! :)

-We went to Apia to go to the doctors and I was so lost. Way too many people. I've been a small village for like 7 months now that's why

-I weighed myself today and....194.4 lbs haha hopefully I don't get it back in Tutuila...gulp… hahaha

-I have been staying in Lotopa with Elder Harn (my intake) and Elder Nausa  (an Elder from Papa New Guinea). 

They have had Atualoas for days.

 I was sleeping on the floor and in the middle of the night I felt something tickling my foot. 

I jumped up really quickly and it was a fat atualoa! Needless to say I didn't sleep the rest of the night...

All is going well here I hope you all have a great week :) 

Alofa tele atu outou!

Elder Hunter

Cyclones just make life more interesting!

Malo Soifua Aiga!

Well, this week has been quite an interesting one. But I don't know if I'm going to tell you about it. I'll give you all some hints though: sleeping on the floor for 4 days, McDonald's, spiders, warm showers, possible new area. And that is all I'm saying hahaha just leave it up to your imagination :)

One of my best friends out here Elder Pasia and me. He is a native form Upolu

To answer your other questions:

-Yes I think my language is getting better. I am understanding most everything that is said to me, and I can hold a decent conversation. I'm really working on being able to tell more about myself rather than ask questions (I think I ask too many questions :) haha ). 

-My companion is doing pretty good, he has been sick the past week, but I think he is going to be getting better soon, I also think that he is very ready to train and that he probably will next transfer (which is next week) 

-I always think about why I was sent to Samoa. For most of my mission I've been one of two palagi's on Savaii and many times have questioned why I was sent here. However, I continually am learning why. One example of this is how giving Samoans are. They would give the shirts off of there backs if you wanted it. I truly love that about there culture and the way they respect their guests. I'm always learning from the people here as well as the Aganu'u (culture).

-All has been good with my leaders. It has been a little difficult sometimes in my zone because there are only 8 of us, but we make it work. It has been a great learning experience and I have gotten really tight with some members of my zone. 

Zone conference we had with all of Savaii this week

Well that's all I've got for you all. I'm happy you had a great vacation and look forward to going on them again with you all! 

Alofa tele atu outou!

Elder Hunter 

PS:  cyclones just make life more interesting :)

cows on the road that blocked our way haha we had to wait until a bus came through to get to our conference :)

I was happy

Malo Soifua Aiga!

So I totally forgot that you were all going to Mexico and was like "What the heck?" when I saw the pictures haha. Well I hope you're all having fun :) (Samoa puts it to shame though; especially Savaii :) Not bragging, just the truth). It was a pretty good week this week, and here is the update:

-We had Olina's baptism on saturday! Way cool experience. After the ordinance my companion and I sang "Nearer My God To Thee" in Samoan. I really felt the Spirit, and was happy that my companion and I could do that again. 

Our New Font

-I officially cut my own hair for the first time this week. Not to shabby if I do say so myself. I've officially mastered the Buzz Cut :) Needless to say I could probably join the Army after my mission :)  haha

Sulu

-We are having our Zone P-day today, which I'm pretty excited for. My zone only has 8 missionaries in it right now, but I'm still pretty stoked. Afterwards we are going to make heaps of food, I'm pretty sure there will be a pig, so that's always good :) 

Some Tolo or Sugar Cane

-PLEASE send out more of those Jello Banana Pudding mixes! My comp and I put it on Masi Popo and cut up some fresh fa'i suamalie to put in it. SO GOOD! A little bit of Banana cream pies on the mission :)

All is going well here. I hope you enjoy your vacation, and I look forward to hearing from you all next week :)

Alofa Atu,

Elder Hunter 

Will Snap your Fingers Off

haha I look like a who from the Grinch Who Stole Christmas

Malo Soifua Aiga!

Well it was a pretty good week this week. We honestly worked really hard. Here is the update :

- We had two splits this week with our zone leaders and the A.P's which was cool.

 Really helped with the area as well as my language. I got some great tips for conversational stuff so that was nice.

first hamburger in 6 months. I had to ask our Z.L's to go into town to get it. It was cold and nothing like and American one, but I think I shed a few tears when I saw it :)

-Olina's baptism is set for this saturday, here interview is friday but assuming all goes well she will be baptized on saturday :) 

Our new chapel in Fagafau got blessed this past sunday so she will be the first baptism in it which will be cool.

So blowing bubbles haha

-Crazy about Nate and congrats to Maddie, Quinn,Grant, and Josh! I'm so happy for them :)
(Nathan Lee is coming home soon, Maddie and Quinn got into BYU, Grant played his first LAX game at Furman and Josh Hunter got a call to serve in San Fernando Valley, CA Spanish speaking mission)

-I got to here from Will which was cool, I wrote him back and he sounds good.

U'U totally crushed my pen and apparently will snap your finger off hahaa

All is going well between me and my comp. We are on week 10 of our training so three more to go. I'll keep you all updated for transfers. 

Answers to questions:

Savaii is the most beatiful of the three inhabited islands and the culture is the strongest here which is really helping with the language. 

Sunset

I hope you all have a great week :)

Alofa Atu Outou!

Elder Hunter