March 17 letter- New area and new kasama!

So...sometimes when you are a missionary you get emergency transferred. (please reread that in a Nacho Libre voice.) And so anyways I've got a new companion and a beautiful new area! I'm now in Santa Ignacia, Padapada 1st ward. And I LOVE it. It's actually kind of funny because it reminds me a bit of Southern Arizona. And maybe that's why I love it so much. It's the bukid. Like bukid talaga. Rice fields for days! And mountains!!! And random cows and caribou and wild boar. It's an adventure everyday. Which is perfect because my companion is basically the grown up Dora the Explorer. But with a Mexican wrestler kind of laugh. She's hilarious. And the people here love her. She's a great missionary. I'll be fine...if I can just keep up with her. It was hard to leave my area because it was so unexpected... Transfers really are scheduled for April... but the Lord works in mysterious ways. This has been a good test for me to really rely on the Lord and trust Him. But the work is the same no matter where we are.

So yep. 21 years of age. That's neat. I'm so oooooold! Biro lang. Lets see.. for my birthday we had a baptism scheduled in Aduas(still the best birthday present ever). So Friday was my first day in Padapada and then Saturday, my bday, one of the members made pancit for me! My very own birthday pancit! It's like noodles that are delicious.  It was so kind of them. Even though they really didn't know me they still were so excited to celebrate my birthday with me. And that's the perfect example of the people here. They are so humble and so ready to accept a total stranger with open arms. They are able to love others so easily. And I think that's one of the most beautiful things about serving a mission, I have had to learn how to love like a Filipino, and to really love others like our Savior does. I still have so far to go but I know that this new area will help me to continue to develop that Christ-like love for others. We would all be happier if we could just learn to love like a Filipino. 

But just so you know, even Filipinos burn the rice sometimes.  

Mahal ko kayo! 

Sister Larson

 

we went to a waterfall early this morning!

The rice patties that go on forever!!

 

The sisters made me cupcakes for my birthday...So sweet!!



21 whole years old!!  I'm still me:)


Sister Laiti had never had s'mores...delicious!!