January 1, 2014

Elder Ryan Larson wrote this to everyone:

So this last week has been way SHORT, it feels like i just skyped my parents yesterday!!! But seeing that it is 11:00 on New Years Day, i know that it was not just yesterday! So on Saturday the 28th at 7:52 A.M. there was another aftershock! that one was fairly loud, not very big. it is so weird being in a country where they just had so much destruction come through!

Right after the aftershock there was a GIANT bee that flew into our apartment! i hit it with the blade of my sundang (sword) and killed it! It was so crazy!!!!

Later that night (the 28th) we had our ward Christmas Party, it was pretty cool... except for the whole we couldn't invite our investigators to it... the reasons behind this was because we didn't have enough money to support and feed them... but when we got there (on time) we spent the next almost 2 hours sitting waiting for people to show up. so the reason that they didn't have money or food for them is because they got LECHON, which is the most expensive food here. it is whole pig roasted on an open fire and very delicious!! So we couldn't invite our investigators to it because they needed to have food in their bellies more than anything else... argh so irritating!!!

So i finally figured out an amazing comparison, what the Philippines is like... it is exactly how i would picture Jurassic Park, there are fences and gates everywhere, there are chickens, goats, dogs, cats, tuko, tiki, and cows running everywhere. All the plants look exactly the same, there is always crazy noises going on, that as you are here longer you learn to love and recognize each individual sound and its small importance!

Oh yeah so on the 25th we had a Zone Activity at a place called Discovery Hills, which was defined to me by an elder, he said and i quote, "it is a Catholics playground," needless to say he was right! there were so many random statues and random things there. It is IMPOSSIBLE to describe everything without showing you it in person!!

This week we also lost 6 of our IBD(Investigator with Baptismal Date) they were on a roll of coming to church, but then they missed a week and now we have to give them a different date..... ummm... i think that is about everything!

Happy New Year All, make sure you set some amazing goals, and strive to achieve them every day!!!

Oh yeah, and i got to watch like 5 movies this week! The R.M., The Best Two Years, Monsters University, The Greatest Turkey Movie Ever, and Legacy!!! it was so much fun!!!

--
-Elder Larson
Gihigugma ta ka

Elder Ryan Larson update to just us:

He basically sent me a saying in Cebuano : karon hapit sa Bagong tuig, perro karon sugod sa lain tuig, lisod siya, walay pamilya. kahibalo ko sa ginoo sa tabangi akong pamilya.

translated to English:

well now it is almost the new year, but now start another year. it is hard without my family around but I know that The Lord is helping them.

Keep him in your prayers as he is a little homesick right now. He is strong on all accounts and will be great. Thank you for all your support.

Until next time......