https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?shva=1#inbox/14202c88b5edf87b

This is the link to see the letter from Sis. Larson's Mission President and the map of her area.

From the frying pan to the fire...arriving in the mission field

Sister Larson and Sister Lazon



President and Sister Martino

So yes I am officially in the field now.  This is real life now. I don't really know how to explain it but nothing here surprises me.  And not in a sarcastic, "Doesn't surprise me."  kind of way but a genuine I feel so comfortable here.  Not exactly like I've been here before but I'm familiar with this place.  I love it.  I guess one way to explain the feeling is like hanging out at The Ranch.  Because of the big typhoon that swept through a few weeks ago we still don't have power in part of our area.  So my new kasama Sister Lazan (which kind of sounds like Larson when Filipinos say it) and I have been having candlelight dinners.  It makes personal/companion study somewhat difficult, but it's an adventure. And honestly I don't mind.  If we were in America it would be the end of the world to not have power for going on 5 days but life goes on.  And because of the lack of electricity there are tons of people out on the street which helps us because we get to talk to more people! Also more people out on the streets means more people staring at the white girl.  Filipinos love foreigners.  And I am literally the only white person in our whole area.  Not exaggerating. So I have started using this to my advantage and smiling and saying hello to everyone.  And 9 out of 10 times they smile right back.  Some of them even call me beautiful.  Mostly the 80+ ladies, don't worry mom.  Just like how we want to be more tan, they want to be more white so they think my skin=beauty.  Silly.  My kasama and I are what they call "white-washing" this area.  Which means that neither of us has been in the area before.  They don't usually like to put a trainer/trainee companionship in a totally new area but with the increase of sisters I don't know if there was much of a choice.  Although I do know that this is exactly where I'm supposed to be.  It's just like any calling, the Lord has called me to the Cabanatuan Ward 1 area, not President Martino.  I love the area so much.  It's not super in the city and it's not just farms.  It consists of three barangays (or neighborhoods).  We have been trying to meet as many people as we can to figure out who is who.  It's good that Sister Lazan is so good at her job! I am so glad to have a kasama like her.  She is obedient but still knows how to have fun.  She has already started building great relationships with the ward members here. Which is going to be super helpful because our main job here is to support  the local leaders.  This ward has so much potential! I know that Sister Lazan and I, under the direction of the Lord, will be able to bring back many of the lost sheep in this area.  I love being a missionary! But you know what the weirdest part of missionary work is? It's the fact that I am the one doing it.  I have heard missionary stories for as long as I can remember and now I'm here in the Philippines walking up and down the streets and making my own memories as I help others come closer to Christ.   I know that where ever you are in the world, whatever you are doing you can help other come closer to Christ by simply bearing your testimony or inviting them to listen to a message from the missionaries.  Will you do that? Will you think of someone who you can help to come closer to Christ? And if you are less active or not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will you listen to a message from the missionaries in your town? I know that the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is one of hope and love. I love my Savior with all my heart and I am so glad that He loved me enough to Atone for me and make it possible for me to live with Him and my Heavenly Father again.  The Church is true! Mahal kita!!! -Sister Larson

My first day at the MTC

My room:)

Inside the MTC

All of the sisters that are going Angeles this Wednesday

The only other sister here from Arizona

My Kasama

My district, Nephi!!

that's one of our teachers (in the blue) sister tibule

October 18 Letter

Well we'll have to see about the 2013 edition of the scriptures because I don't know if they have them here yet.  But I bought a triple combination in Tagalog today for 20 pesos.  That's like less than $0.50 I think.  We only heard about the earthquake in Cebu we didn't feel anything.  But one of our teachers served in Cebu and he said that some Roman Catholic churches just collapsed like there's nothing left.  And the only thing that happened to the temple in Cebu was Angel Moroni doing an about face.  Literally 180 degrees turned around.  Maybe they had him facing the wrong way before? joke-lang.  Rebekah and I seemed to have had a similar experiences this week. (Rebekah had a special experience while she was doing confirmations in the Temple last week) I was just a little frustrated and getting anxious to leave the MTC.  We had a proselyting activity where we get to go out to one of the missions near by and go on spilts with the in-field missionaries.  I think I told you about our last experience.  But our teacher originally told us that we would be going to the Quezon City Mission, which I knew was Elder Gillette's mission.  I had prayed to Heavenly Father asking that maybe if it wasn't a big deal that maybe I could just go to Elder Gillette's zone so that I could see a familiar face.  I just felt like seeing a friend from home would really lift my spirits.  Then the day of our teacher told us that we would actually be going to the Quezon City North Mission instead.  I was a little disappointed because I knew there was probably no way that I would get to see Elder Gillette before he went home.  Then I walked into the cafeteria and guess who was standing in line for lunch?? Elder Gillette! It was such a tender mercy.  We only got to talk for a little while but it was just nice to be able to talk about home with someone who knew what I was talking about. Apparently he had to come to the MTC because that's where they checkup the exiting missionaries.  I know that God heard my prayer and that I would have been just fine if I hadn't gotten to see Elder Gillette but I think more than talking to an old friend, I needed to know that Someone was listening to my prayers and that He was aware of me and loves me.  The gospel is true!! Sometimes I wish it was as easy as just saying it.  The main reason that I get frustrated (which I'm working on my Christ-like attribute of patience right now..I know, I know) is because there are so many missionaries here that just don't seem to get it yet.  I know that they know that this is the true Church but they sometimes forget to live like they believe. but we're all progressing. Just at different levels. When we went proselyting Sister Laulu (kasama) and I were waiting for our in-field missionary to come around the corner and while we were waiting we started talking to a lady named Gina who owned a little store.  She was packaging little chunks of onion for the people who couldn't afford the whole 5 peso onion.  And we were able to talk to her a little bit in Taglish about the Church and give her a pamphlet.  Our in-field kasama made a follow up appointment with her for the next day.  It felt so good to help those sisters in that area find a new investigator. Especially after we had just learned that the average for the Philippines is 3.5 new investigators per companionship per week.  That is not good.  I know that sharing the gospel may be intimidating, especially when it's sharing it with your friends or associates, but I also know that sometimes it really is as simple as just opening your mouth.  So do it! Open you mouth and the Lord will help you know what to say.  You get to say it in English!  Lucky ducks! I can't wait to hear some missionary stories from that side of the world! Love you!!! Sister Larson

October Mission Pics-Lovin life in the Philippines

October 10th Letter

So I've officially been here for a month! Exactly.  Can you believe it? I can't.  My first week here felt like a year.  and then the next few weeks have felt like a few hours! It's crazy.  We went out proselyting on wednesday (mirykoles, yep like spanish but spelled differently) and it was so awesome.  Some of the elders and sisters really got to go to the neighborhood, barangay, and see the serious poverty.  But I was only able to visit one lady with my in-field missionary because we had to ride about 4 jeepneys to get there.  The lady, Sister Abiog, owned a second hand clothing store and so she was a little better off than most.  She was so receptive to our message, but was having a hard time understanding that there is only one true church.  When the in-field missionary asked me to explain faith, pananampalataya, I just opened my mouth and the broken tagalog that came out surprised even me! It made sense and everything! I know that the Lord helps his servants if they will ask and I don't think I've asked for very many things as hard as I asked the Lord to help me say what He needed me to.  I am so grateful to be called to teach here in the Philippines because they are one country that loves foreigners.  They consider it an honor to have a foreigner speak Tagalog. plus most of them know some english. 
I am very very lucky.  I am also very lucky to have Sister Knudsen here.  She and I just hit it off from the start and i know that she is going ot be a life-long friend. I have realized that this is the first time that i've ever been around so many people of so many different cultures.  I love the Samoan, Fijian, Australian, New Zealander, Sri Lankan, and Philippino Elders and Sisters here.  My kasama gave me a lava-lava so you'd better believe that i'm rocking that! OK I think that's all for now.  But I hear that Gen. Conference is all about missionary work ( we don't get to watch it until tomorrow) so you'd all better get crack-a-lackin' and share the message that the gospel is here and Jesus loves us and His church has been restored! I know it's true.. -Mahal Kita! Kita Kits in 17 months! Sister Larson

October 3rd Letter

Hey Mom! Did you get my last email?? I know there was a storm and the connnection was bad so I wasn't sure if it went through.  I emailed Dad too with some snippets for the kids, but I haven't gotten an email from anyone in our family except for your Dear Elder thing.  Which I don't know about this dear elder thing.  I just got like a confirmation email that showed your letter, but it never came in like a letter form.  Weird. Anyway, each Friday our P-day schedule is a little different so sometimes I email later in the day but sometimes its earlier.  Right now it's about 8:00 in the morning on friday.  We're going to be heading to the temple soon.  That's probably my favorite part of P-day.  It takes a long time but it's so worth it.  I'd rather be in the temple than even taking a nap! Crazy huh? I'm so glad to get some news about baby Elisebeth.  What day was she actually born?  I don't really understand what exactly happened but i'm glad things seem to be going better now.  I jumped up in the computer lab and yelled "I'm an aunt!" last week.  So now just about everyone at the MTC knows my happy news :) We're about halfways done here at the MTC and it's bittersweet.  I am so ready to be out of here and actually talking to people about the gospel but at the same time I know I am far from where i need to be to be able to say what I want to be able to say.  We have been teaching "investigators" and it has been interesting to me to be able to feel the Spirit guiding and directing a lesson that isn't "real".  We've had some powerful experiences with our investigators and then we've had some times when the Spirit really isn't there.  I know that it might be the same way when we're out in the field so this is good practice.  One of our investigators always says he has to go right as we're feeling the Spirit the strongest.  Its so frustrating!!! But then I try to imagine teaching someone who really doesn't know about the gospel and what would I do if my real investigator did that?  We really try to treat these practices like they are real because we know that in just a few weeeks it will be really real and I can use all the practice I can get! Even next week will get a whole lot more real! We're going out with the missionaries here in Manila! Pray for me! We might be teaching REAL investigators! Sometimes it doesn't feel like I've really started my mission yet because I'm not doing all the things that I imagine missionarires doing, but i know that this time is super important.  I have a very strong feeling of responsibility and sometimes I get anxious about not doing enough or not studying hard enough or whatever.  My kasama on the other hand is very happy-go-lucky  and so I think we help each other. I am happy to report that I havve been very good at waking up happy(ish).  I've been trying to overcome the normal Rachael response to waking up early and so far so good.  Except for this morning when one sister flicked me in the head to wake me up, but we can't be perfect all the time.  One of the elders in my district, from Samoa, is great comic relief for all of us.  He doesn't speak very much English but one time during a lesson he just jumped in and totally interrupted his kasama and started telling the Joseph Smith story.  excpet this is how he told it, "Let me tell you a story! You know Joseph Smith right? Well one day Joseph Smith was 14 years old and one day Joseph Smith wanted to pray so one day he went to the grass! And you know what happened in the grass?? He saw two personages.  Do you know who the two personages were? That's right, it was God and Jesus.  And you know what they said to him?? Joseph, this is my Church, ENJOY it!" We have no idea where that came from but we laughed about that for a while.  Now we like to add "ENJOY it!" to the end of whatever we say :) Oh and here's a fun fact about the Philippines, there are about 600,000 members, only about 100,000 are active.  Crazy huh?! So it sounds like we will be focusing a lot more on reactivating the less actives members and bringing the non-members they know along with them! I have a thousnad things that I want to tell you about, in fact sometimes at night I compose my weekly email in my head before I go to sleep, but I can't really remember it when I wake up so this is going to have to do.  Well I have no idea what picture i attached to this file or if it will even work to send it. But hey, I tried! 
Mahal Kita!! Love you! -Sister Larson

A few pictures...

The view out Rachael's window at the MTC


Rachael's suitcase before she left.

Rachael's Kasama, Sis. Laulu, is Samoan
from Australia

Sept 27th Letter

MOm the emial isnt really working so i don't know if i'll be able to email you all the thing i want to .  theres a big rain storm.  i left my headbands, my yoga pants and my favorite black skirt at home.  my mission home address is philippines angeles mission F. tanedo st barangay san nicolas tarlac city tarlac 2300 philippines.  i would apprecitate it if you could send it now so that may be it will be there when i get there.  you can send dear elder letters to me through the mtc that i can read during the week btw so share that news with the world!! i also need justenes emial and katie larsons email if you ever can log on.  the mtc is going good  its funny to learn the differences between culutres.  just so you know rock paper scissors is not universal.  i have a hard time seeing so many people waste thier time and fall asleep in class etc.  im definitely not free of fault but i really try to use my time wisely.  i often think to myself how this is not our time.  its 100% The Lords.  We seem to forget that as soon as we decided to serve a mission we were choosing to pay a tithe of 18 or 24 months of our live.  i try not to think that this is my time.  i feel a strong responsiblity to become the best prepared that i can because in know that there are poeple that have been prepared for me to tat each and i dont want to be the reason that they dont get the truth.  because of that feeling that i have it makes it really hard for me to see missionarites being immature.  i just want to stand up on the tables and scream stop wasting the lords time! but then i started thinking that if the lord trusts 18 and 19 year olds to share his sacred message i can try to have a little bit more patience with them.  because i know hat at the lord has some serious patience.  i'm realize that part of my american culture tends to make me a bit critical, or maybe thats just me.   either way im learning that theres not any room for that here on the mission.  theres so much more to say but i have to go.  i'll talk to you next week i love you all so much!
  the first pic is my best friends sis knudsen and i taking the typical sister mission pics.  and the next one is on the day we got pizza and spagetti and ice cream... and no RICE!!! i'll send more next week    love sister Larson