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!