December 28th-Maligayang Pasko at Bagong Taon! Happy Christmas!

Happy Christmas! It really doesn't feel like Christmas has passed, but that's because I believe everyday is Christmas. At least when you are a missionary. By the way, have I told you  lately...I love being a missionary. And I loved getting to talk to you all! I love you more than you know! 

So here's the thing. I wasn't lying when I said that I was feeling better. I really was. But except, I started not feeling good again. But it's okay because Sister Davis is like a really good doctor. And I'm almost healthy again. So don't even worry about it.

Well did Santa bring us lots of opportunities to share the gospel with our friends?? ;) 

We got a ward mission leader!!! That was a pretty great Christmas present...almost as good as getting to talk to your beautiful faces. 

I love you!!

Sister Larson

                        pics of our Christmas in the Philippines

                                          fun at the Christmas zone conf!!

December 21st-New Kasama!

SISTER DAVIS!!

AMERICAN! My new "kasama" is Americana! I think it might be a first in the history of the Philippines Angeles Mission. I've been assigned other foreighner companions but at least they've always been islanders who are very tan and could maybe pass as Filipinos. But nope. This is a real deal American. Her name is Sister Davis. She's from Sandy, Utah and I'm pretty sure that we are going to be eternal friends. She's 23 and so that means that all of my companions have been older than me. She's funny and we have fun together so. I love being a missionary. I feel like Sister Davis is going to help me catch that fire that I remember feeling as a new missionary and help me grow like the Lord needs me to. 

Anyways....I know that everything I am learning is helping to prepare me for who I need to be in the long run. I have been able to see and learn about the things that help a ward run smoothly and because of what I've learned I will be a much more low maintenance and high producing member of the wards I will be a part of for the rest of my life. I have learned about marriage from having a companion 24/7 and learning how to deal with differences. I have learned that the most important thing is living the Gospel and being a true blue disciple of Jesus Christ. The Atonement is real and I love that I can change. I love my Savior and I love this opportunity and privilege of being able to teach others about Him as we celebrate Christmas. 

I'm super excited to see your faces for Christmas! 12:30 on Christmas day for me, Christmas Eve for you. I got the packages!!! Maraming salamat! And I opened them so... I'm pretty sure Santa is coming to our house.....I'll let you know. And I just really really love you guys!!! 

Sister Larson

BAPTISM of Leizel

December 14th- Christmas came early

This has been the most wonderful week! I feel like Christmas came early! I loved na loved the 1st Presidency Christmas Devotional and feel so grateful that I get to spend another Christmas on this beautiful island because I feel like now I finally "get it." I finally truly understand the importance of Heavenly Father's gift to us. I feel so grateful to be able to spend Christmas in the mission filed and teach others everyday about the best Christmas gift ever! Everyday really is Christmas. 

This week we were teaching our 75 year old investigator that only speaks Ilicano and we sang "Because I Have Been Given Much" for our opening song and I really felt it. He lives in one of the smallest houses I've seen and owns almost nothing. He loves learning about the gospel. It's hard to explain the feelings of the Spirit but during that song the Spirit really taught me. He taught me that I am here for a reason in the Philippines Angeles Mission teaching the people here in Sta. Igancia. I have often wondered why I was born into the family I was, why I get to live in a country with religious freedom, why I have grown up knowing that I have a loving Heavenly Father, why I have never gone without food or shelter. I wonder why I have been given much. And during that song as we sang "Because I have been sheltered, fed by Thy good care" I felt with all my soul "I cannot see another's lack and I not share"! I know that I have been blessed by the great love of my Savior Jesus Christ and I now I finally understand why they always say that it's better to give than to receive. But now I know what the Gift is that I should be giving. He is the Gift!

PS: I'd love to hear about how you are spreading the news of the Greatest Gift!! 

Sister Larson

                                                              My Beautiful Island

                                         this is that 75 year old tatay that i was telling you about! 

                                                         the briz couple! i love them!!

December 7th-Another wonderful week!!

This has been the most wonderful week! I was invited, along with about 12 other missionaries, to be part of this special Christmas program at the mission home for all the stake and district presidents in the Philippines Angeles Mission. And..I think I'm a little rusty. But it was still really fun to sing and be a part of the Chirstmas spirit. We even went caroling!  It really helped lift my spirits. I think I'm just sick of being sick and I'm trying REALLY hard now to stop focusing on not feeling good but focus on others. I just feel this fire in my soul right now to do all that I can with the time I have left. Maybe seeing Sister Altea get ready to go home is helping me feel the importance of using every single day effectively in the Lord's vineyard. I feel unstoppable right now and I feel like I have so much more to give! We'll see if my body can keep up with me! :) 

We have been worried about our ward lately because they seem to just be so distracted and aren't very excited about missionary work anymore.  Our home and visiting teachers are especially lagging. So Sister Altea and I asked the Relief Society President if we could share about the importance of visiting teaching during Relief Society. It was a great experience. I was able to share about my awesome visiting teacher, Sister Tilton, who sends me the Relief Society newsletter every month and even though I'm thousands of miles away I still feel that I am loved. Sister Altea also shared about her experiences as a recent convert. At the end of the lesson one sister said, "Earlier today we raised our right hands after Sister Rosario's confirmation to show that we are willing to fellowship her. I think that we need to take that seriously and help our sisters, especially the recent converts. " Sister Altea and I just turned to each other and grinned. It was a miracle and an answer to prayers. 

Sister Rosario was baptized this week! Her husband came back to church in the last few months and now they are working on preparing to be sealed in the temple in one year! I love being a missionary! 

PS Rosario's daughter's name is RIO! It makes me think of my favorite REO :) 

Sister Larson

Rosario Bautista's Baptism

November 30th-A week of miracles!!

This has been the most wonderful week! It has been a week of miracles! It's not over until it's over and this week was our last chance for new investigators to come to church is they are getting baptized in December and it was a blessed Sabbath! Last week when we had our missionary fireside we received a referral from our Relief Society president. It was the mother of some recent converts in our ward. It just turned out that the timing was perfect right now and she is SO READY for baptism. She came to church with her two kids yesterday and she loved it. She was even participating in planning for our ward Christmas party. Then to our surprise the husband of one of our other recent converts walked into Sacrament meeting with his wife and family. The wife and children are all recent converts and the husband reads the Book of Mormon all the time and has a strong testimony that Joseph Smith is a prophet but because of his work schedule he hasn't been able to come to church consistently. I remember talking to Sister Altea at the beginning of December and thinking that it would be very possible for this brother to be baptized in December if only he could change his work schedule. He really wants to be baptized and he knows the Church is true AND he committed to talk to his boss about getting Sundays off. We'll see! We have hope and we will pray and pray and pray! Then work and work and work. One of our favorite families, the Briz family, all came to church this Sunday and the dad finally stopped smoking cigarettes this week! It's truly been a week of miracles and I don't think that I can truly express how much I love being a missionary. I just need my body to keep up with my heart and soul! Because my hear and soul is this Work. 

so let me just tell you a little tiny bit about my body...it's falling apart. I remember my first zone leader telling us that if we really serve the Lord with all of our heart might, mind, and strength then we should go home in an ambulance. Of course he was a little bit of a drama queen...but I'm falling apart.I've been in co-horts with Sister Clark and she says it kind of a pretty common thing that happens at the end of a missionary's time. (especially the sisters) They just get worked down and exhausted. So anyways I've been having almost constant fevers and headaches, plus body aches and just a general feeling of tiredness. But the thing is, it's not really going away at the moment so two weeks ago I had a blood test. The Elder/Doctor that is assigned to the Manila MTC wanted to see how my white blood cells were. My white blood cell count is somewhat high, but nothing too dramatic. So today I had another blood test to check my thyroid. we'll get the results later this week. When Sister Clark told me that the Doctor/Elder in the MTC wanted to check my thyroid I remembered when I was working for Aunt Kim and always feeling tired and she told me that maybe I should check out my thyroid..but I didn't. And anyways it's probably nothing big, but just so you know. It's really nothing that's keeping me from being a missionary so. Ha! Take that Satan! But now I have no secrets. okay? okay.

I just want to say that I am grateful for the opportunity to be a sister training leader and to be Sister Altea's companion. Our companionship is the best it's ever been. I love her and I love being a missionary! 

How's your study of PMG?? Are we finding ways to share the gospel this Christmas season?

Sister Larson

+

November 23-Busy week, lots of reports but it's all good!

This has been the most wonderful week! We have seen many miracles. Our faith has been tested. We found some "golden investigators" that we thought would be perfect for December only to be disappointed because they turned out to not be as golden as we thought. We still have faith and we are still focusing on finding. When you introduced this Baptize 200 and said that it would be a great exercise in trust I don't think I realized what you meant. Now as we are struggling to help these souls to baptism I am starting to understand. I thought I had sufficient faith, but I am not yet as Enoch. When I have enough faith to tell the mountains to move and they move, then I'll have sufficient faith. I am grateful for this opportunity to get to know my Savior a little more personally as I strive to develop complete trust in Him. 

November 16-Rabies?

Happy Week Everybody! I tried to think of some holiday to celebrate...but. Anyways. 

Let me tell you a little something something about my week. Well it was a good one. Our 4 Special Names are doing well and 3 of them came to church this week! Plus we were able to find a bunch (7) new investigators this week! So all is well in Zion. Mostly. :)

Sometimes I hear stories about other missionaries in other missions and I think that the Philippines Angeles Mission is exactly the right mission for me. We find a new investigator almost every day and we teach about 40 lessons a week. I know about one missionary in England who finally taught his first new investigator when he had been in the field for 6 months!  I just know that Heavenly Father has a perfect plan. I know there is a reason I'm here in a mission that teaches so often because it perfectly matches with the many times in my patriarchal blessing it talks about teaching. We still have our struggles. Yes we find new investigators almost everyday, but when we come back to the appointment we have set with them....they hide from us. Or they just want us to teach them but they don't want to do anything like read the Book of Mormon or come to church. Each mission has struggles and challenges and I am grateful to be here in the Philippines because these are the perfect struggles for me. 

Now for a story. 

One Thursday night as I was starting to fall asleep I heard a strange noise from my fan...A noise that I recognized from months and months ago when I was assigned in Cabanatuan and that little mouse crawled into our fan and died....well. I looked up and saw...a tail. There was a huge RAT sitting on my curtain rod literally inches from my face! I woke Sister Altea up and we screamed like little girls trying to get it out of our room. We finally got it out with a broom, but it was so fast and so big and PREGNANT! I'm pretty sure that it was one of the scariest things of my life! We finally got it out of the house...but we are definitely buying a rat trap later today. My legs were shaking like leaves. Yuck! 

Also a little boy bit me at church yesterday. 

Pray that I don't get rabies. From the little boy. or the Rat. 

(joke lang mom!)

And that is my week. Sort of. 

Sister Larson;

November 9-Time is Flying!!

Well the time really is flying by. I get scared sometimes when I realize that I only have 4 months left. But then the next day I'll feel like...man 4 months is so far away! It's weird how time can feel like that. But I still love being a missionary. Sometimes I feel weary in well doing, just like you Mom. But I try to remember your advice you wrote me awhile ago in one of your letters...we have to stop and smell the roses along the way.  

Another transfer has come and gone and...I'm still in Sta. Ignacia! Sister Altea is still my companion...but she goes home at the end of this transfer. About 5 weeks. Yikes. I'm grateful for her, even though sometimes its hard because we are SO DIFFERENT we help each other and fill in the gaps for one another. She's my sixth companion. You know what they say about your sixth companion? That's what your future spouse is going to be like. Sometimes I think to myself...if this is what marriage is going to be like, I don't think I want to get married. :) Just kidding. Maybe. 

We have about 7 weeks before the end of the year and the in the Philippines Angeles Mission we baptize and rescue 1650. We have baptized 1231 so far this year...so President Clark has issued a clarion call. Each companionship is to find and baptize 4 souls beforeDecember 31st. We are on the final countdown people! It's gonna be a close one, but we can do it|! Sister Altea and I feel a great responsibility to be our best and do our best everyday. We are finding and teaching Heavenly Father's children and they are so special. We are finding those ones that have been prepared. I love being a missionary. Keep praying for me, I seriously need it. 

Love you, 

Sister Larson 

November 2-Another Great Week!!

And now let me tell you about my week! 

This was a great week! We had a special missionary fireside with Bishop Causse of the Presiding Bishopric and then we had MLC, our Mission Leadership Counsel consisting of all the Zone Leaders, Sister Training Leaders, and the Assistants to the President. And then on Sunday there was a special area broadcast for all of the Philippines and Elder Oaks spoke to us. I didn't know this before, but Elder Oaks was the former Area President for the Philippines. I think it was more than 10 years ago, but still. 

You wanna know some cool things I learned? One of the Apostles told President Clark during his training in the MTC to "tell the missionaries that if they are willing to change the Lord with be with them." Isn't that cool. That's cool. And I know there's still a ton of things I need to change and with the Lord's help I can! 

Sister Causse shared with us a really cool message about how us missionaries are like....SPIDERMAN! That's right. And she has a cool french accent so it was even cooler. She said that when Spiderman was bitten he was given a gift. But at first he didn't really understand his gift or how to use it. But he started training himself to use this gift and he helped many people and saved many lives. Missionaries are like Spiderman. With great power comes great responsibility. We have to make sure we are always using that great power and gift that we have been given. 

She also said that there is such a thing as "good fatigue" which I am now a beiliever of. She said they were pretty tired from their trip and all their meetings in the Philippines with Elder Oaks and Elder Robbins but she could still feel the Holy Ghost. And that means it's good fatigue. I bet Jesus got tired sometimes too. And that's okay. It's just part of serving the Lord with all your heart, might, mind, and STRENGTH I guess. 

The remarks that the General Authorities made about their trip to the Philippines were all about the people. Elder Robbins said that the Philippines could be called the Land of the Beautiful Smiles. These are a happy people. And I love getting to serve them everyday. I know that eveything I am learning here is helping me prepare for the rest of my life. And I love it! 

Sister Larson

me and some of my "batch mates" at the special missionary fireside with bishop Causse 

the two cutest little girls in the whole world! 

October 26th- This Week...

This has been the most wonderful week! Well actually there were a few rough days, but in the end it was a wonderful week. I don't know why but I have just started feeling like, "Coach, we need a water break!" I'm tired. And 5 months just seems like a really, really long time. On Friday, for the first time maybe in my whole mission, I just really, really, really didn't want to go out and work. The Spirit was not with me. Sister Altea would stop to talk to people and I would think to myself, "Why is she talking to them? I don't want to talk to them." It was so pathetic. I was praying and praying for those thoughts and feelings to go away but it just wasn't happening...Until one of our last lessons of the night. We taught one of our investigators who has been struggling to recognize his answer that Joseph Smith really was a prophet. As we taught him about the Restoration, I started to feel the change. My heart started beating stronger and stronger. The things that I was telling him definitely weren't coming from me. Then we got to my favorite part where we get to share Joseph's exact words about the answer he received to his prayers. As I shared the words from Joseph Smith's History I felt the Spirit. I could not deny it. I KNOW that the message we share is true. I am still trying to shake of this laziness or "trunkiness" or whatever this is.  I am just ready to get lost in the work again! Good thing we get to attend a special missionary fireside with Elder Oaks this week! Maybe that will be the "water break" I need. :)

I am a work in progress. I know that God's plan is perfect for each of us and He knows what we each need specifically. I am grateful for the responsibility of being a Sister Training Leader and be part of His plan for my fellow sisters. 

Sister Altea and I saw just how perfect God's plan is this week. One of our investigators that we have been teaching for a while wasn't really progressing like we thought he should be. So we decided that we needed to give him a little push towards baptism and we goaled forNov 1st as his baptismal date. Then right before his interview for baptism we found out about a personal matter that he hadn't repented of. The baptismal interview continued. Our district leader asked our investigator the required questions and just felt that something wasn't right even though he hadn't found out about his past transgression. So he didn't sign the baptismal record. After the interview we were able to talk to our district leader about our investigator and the things that he still needed to repent of. He told us he was thankful that his prayer had been answered because he couldn't figure out what was missing. Although our investigator will not be ready to be baptized on Nov 1stwe now see how pushing him towards baptism helped him understand just how serious of a covenant it is. This investigator is starting to have a mighty change of heart. He's not all the way there yet, but he will get there with the help of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 

Being a missionary is cool. I love it. The end. :)

Sister Larson

October 20th-Letter and baptism of Tatay Bugarin

This week we had some really great experiences with members helping us find souls. We stopped by this 70 year old member's home to follow up on his granddaughter that we had taught a few weeks ago. The granddaughter wasn't there but we asked this member who of his friends or neighbors we could visit. This 70-something year old man shuffled his way down the neighborhood so that he could introduce us to his friends. One was a less active member that we hadn't met and the other was an older man who needs the gospel. It was awesome. And the timing was perfect. This same kind of thing happened a few more times this week. It turns out, sometimes you just need to ask! 

Tatay Bugarin would not pray when we first started teaching him. Everyone in his family are members of the Church, except him. His son is on a mission right now and he told his dad that he hoped and prayed that his dad would be baptized by the time he gets home. His prayers have been answered. Elder Bugarin will get home in a few months, and I can only imagine the greeting that father and son will have. 

October 13th pictures

our district moved this huge pile of sand for a service project. we would shovel some sand onto an empty rice bag and then carry that bag over to the pile and dump it out. we need more tractors and wheelbarrows on this island. ....but we did have one little wheelbarrow that we used. 

                                                 Sister Kaufusi stole my name tag on accident. 

as i was frantically searching all over the house she just started laughing and said...i'm wearing it!!! goof ball! 

the demetors came to the philippines! the sky was beautiful over in Camiling when i was on exchanges

October 5th-I love being a missionary!

Sister Altea and I have hit our groove. We are really united with each other and have been able to work out some good healthy, loving communication. :) When Sister Altea and I first arrived in this area we decided that our vision for the area included strengthening families and helping the members share the gospel in normal, natural way. And as we have looked back on the past 7 weeks, we have come to realize that we have been doing that. Of course we are far from finished. But it was encouraging to look back and see that the baptisms we've been a part of are almost all part member families and referrals. Missionary work is really most effective when the members are involved. 

This Sunday was so happy! I have come to feel the importance of the sacrament in my life and during those sacred minutes during the blessing and passing of the sacrament I feel almost like I am in the temple. It has been about a year since I've been able to attend the temple, but it's okay. Because every Sunday I know that ALL of my covenants are renewed. I love partaking of the sacrament and having that time set apart to think about my Savior and my relationship to Him. I look at the sacrament table and think of those who laid His body in the tomb. I try to put myself in the place of those who ran there to find His body and instead found the tomb empty. I search my soul, repent, and receive revelation for myself and this work. Every Sunday really is Easter Sunday! I love my Savior and I am so grateful for the incomprehensible love that He has for each one of us, because that love is what made it possible for Him to accomplish the infinite Atonement. I love my Heavenly Father and He loves us enough that He sent His only Begotten Son down to this earth to suffer and die for us. 

I love being a missionary! 

Sister Larson

Sister Aurora's children have now all been baptized. Except for the youngest. Her oldest son is actually the one that baptized her. There's one more son missing in these pictures, and her husband. But even her husband has a desire to be baptized and they are all working towards that goal so that one day they can be sealed in the temple. She is one of the most prepared souls that Sister Altea and I have had the chance to meet and teach. She is a mother in Israel! The Lord is hastening His work!

September 28th Pictures...Baptisms and Frogs

Baptism of Jhonny and Angelo Ladon

                                         Baptism of Jomar DelRosario

WE CAUGHT FROGS AND ATE THEM!!!!

                                                                    This is my friend Marilou. 

 

And this is us getting our frog catching gear ready. Which means using a hard piece of grass and basically sewing worms together to make a ring to go fishing for frogs.

you see what i mean

now we're ready to go ahuntin' 

Sister Altea..catching frogs with grace and poise

 

two little frogs sitting on a log.

now the fun begins! 

don't worry they're just chopping off the heads so that peeling off the skin is easier :) 

                                                            now we're all getting in on the action

Sis Altea.

                                                            and the thing is...it was so yummy!!! :) 

September 28th-Another Wonderful Week!!

This has been the most wonderful week! Jhonny, Angelo, and Jomar were baptized this week and Sister Aurora is prepared for her baptism this coming Saturday. This area is white and already to harvest. Every area is! And I'm so grateful to be a part of the hastening of the Work.  And  Sister Altea is showing me how I can serve the Lord with ALL of my heart, might, mind and strength. 

This week one of our investigators turned 58 years old and we stopped by to wish him happy birthday. To our surprise, half of the ward was already there! The Elder's Quorum President told us that Tatay Bugarin used to hide whenever any "Mormons"  or missionaries came over to the house. Now he had a house-full of Mormons and he even looked pretty happy about it. I asked Tatay what changed. His simple reply was that he was just ready now to accept the gospel and follow Jesus Christ. He told me it was one of the only birthday parties he's had with no alcohol. That made my heart happy. But what made me even happier is on our way out I leaned over to his wife and asked if his other birthdays had been like this one. She said "Only this one, Sister." I testify of the power in missionary work when members are working shoulder-to-shoulder with the full-time missionaries. I don't know why now is the time for Tatay to accept the gospel and prepare to enter the waters of baptism, but I do know that if the members weren't there supporting and fellowshipping him it would be a lot harder--if not impossible. Our Elder Quorum President even asked us when we were going to teach Tatay again so that he could be there in the lesson.  It was awesome!

I love being a missionary! 

Sister Larson

September 21

This week Tatay Bugarin really prayed for the first time. And it was beautiful. He is so  special. He didn't really want anything to do with the missionaries before, even though all of his family are members.  He wouldn't come out and listen to them before, at least that's what our bishop told us. The first time we met him he refused to pray. So then the next week we helped him in his fields. We cut the weeds and the grass. And then he still wouldn't pray. But as we have continued to visit him and just be loving to him, I have seen a change. And when he prayed...it was the coolest feeling ever. It was probably one of the most sincere prayers that I've heard. He told Heavenly Father that he knew it had been a long time since he had talked to Him and that he wanted to change and try to be better. Oh! Prayer is so real and the gospel is true! And I love being a missionary. 

Greggy was baptized this week! He asked one of the elders also serving in our ward to baptize him. He was really sad that his older sister couldn't come but he bore a very sincere and humble testimony after his baptism that he knew that Joseph Smith really restored the Church of Jesus Christ on the earth. And then he thanked the ward members for their support. His family is supportive of his decision, but none of them are members. He was especially grateful for our bishop. And when our bishop got up to welcome Greggy to the ward he ended with his famous saying..."Welcome to the club." Bishop says that at every baptism. It's kind of funny, and true. When you are part of the club you have a responsibility to one another no matter what. At least that's how Bishop related it to the Church. :) 

I just love being a missionary. I'm learning a lot but every once in a while I'll stop and think..Ugh! Am I perfect yet?? And that's how I know I'm far from it :) Don't worry as much rain as you are getting over there..we are getting triple. Apparently storm season might last until January this year..we'll see. 

Sister Larson

Sister Altea got a free ride this week...thanks to some nice kids on the street. When I get home I want to make one of those bicycle things. They're actually really cool..and a lot cheaper than a car.

What are the shoes doing there Sister Larson???haha i didn't even notice the shoes. it's a game that the kids play here. they line up their shoes and then use the other one to try and hit the other shoes. they throw their  flip flops like skipping rocks and its fun i guess :) 

Also we went to San Francisco!!  :) It's one of the neighborhoods (barangay) in our area. But it's still pretty cool.

So we have been teaching Greggy since we got here in Sta. Ignacia and it has been amazing to see his growth. He is 17 and already talking about when he goes on his mission :)