So you asked how I got to my area- I rode in a van with about 10 other missionaries from the MTC to our Mission Office.  It was about 2 hours.  And I thought I was used to the crazy driving here in the Philippines, but I still got a little motion sick.  There are no such things as traffic laws here.  Well if there is no one knows about them.  When I arrived we met up with the Zone Leaders at the Stake Center because neither my kasama or I had ever been to the area before and didn't know where our apartment was so they showed us.  At the Stake Center there were some teenagers, they laughed and made fun of me for not knowing the language.  I don't think they meant it unkindly but I may or may not have cried a little bit.  Embarrassing I know.  But it was just so overwhelming.  A place I had never been before with people I have never met before and everyone was speaking so fast, I couldn't understand anything. It was pretty rough.  But my kasama has been so patient.  This is her second time training a new missionary but her first time opening a new area.  It's just us two in our apt because this used to be an elder's area. Everyone told us that our apartment is one of the nicer apartments so I feel blessed for that.  And really it is a mansion compared to some of our neighbors homes.  I wish I could send some pictures, maybe next time.  I am trying my best to learn the language as fast as I can but I guess it really is true that Rome wasn't built in a day.  Sometimes the little kids laugh at me or can't understand what I say because of my "accent" and I'm learning that that is normal and I laugh along with them.  This weekend we helped the Cabanatuan Stake with a Mini MTC and I saw those teenagers that laughed at me when I first arrived.  We are good friends now :) I had been told that Filipinos are mirrors, what you show them is what you get.  So I'm trying to accept that people are just going to stare at the Amerikana and I smile and wave. President and Sister Martino are great.  They love you as soon as they meet you and really I felt Sister Martinos love before I even met her.  They are loud, kind Texans and I am so glad to be in this mission, "where only the finest serve" I'll be sad to see them go in July.  So you really shouldn't worry about me.  Also don't worry because the people here are the nicest people I have ever met.  There is a family here that is sooo kind to us.  The father is less active and so we have been stopping by to visit him. So far it's been pretty difficult to talk about the gospel with him because he is always feeding us and asking us about our lives and telling us crazy stories.  He'll even repeat parts of the conversation in Taglish for me to make sure I understand. His wife and daughter came to church yesterday but not him.  So I guess we'll keep working on that.  It still blows my mind how many less actives there are in our ward alone.  Last week our church attendance was about 50 and yesterday we had 82 people there!!! Huzzah for Israel!! There is a group of about 5 little boys that follow me and my kasama whenever we go in and out of our apartment.  One day there was a new boy in the group that hadn't seen me before and when he saw the white girl he got really scared and his first reaction was to strike a "hu-yah!" ninja pose.  It was so cute! Let's just say, they are my new best friends.  I am glad to hear that all is well back home.  I am learning more and more each day how important it is to be humble and wow do I have a lot of pride.  So I'm working on that.  It's frustrating to not be able to say what you really want to say but I have found that it's better to just open your mouth.  Words will come.  Sometimes they make sense, most of the time people turn to my companion so that she can translate.  But I know that the Lord knows I'm trying and hopefully through my clumsy efforts He can use me to help some of His struggling children.  I wish I could tell you guys every detail but there are really no words.  I love you all and you are in  my prayers!! Mahal kita!

Sis Larson