June 30, 2015

so as many of you that read the subject last week, and then read the actual letter, i am sure many of you if not all are wondering how they were related, well. i figured i would start of this one explaining what happened. we were riding our bikes and we were going though a field, just when i thought we were golden i was just about to stand up on the pedals of the bike and caught the top of my head, about hair line on a clothes line that was almost invisible. so if i had stood up i would have LITERALLY been clothes lined by an actual clothes line. my helmet tore a little bit because of how fast i was going, and how it caught me. but it was pretty sketchy, also the next day, my companion (Elder Jennings) did just about the same thing, and his helmet tore even worse. so we will be getting some new helmets this week... hopefully.

 

Transfers, so this week is transfer week. which means that possibly one of us might be leaving, but because we have been putting some word into the AP's (assistants to the president), zone leaders, and even occasional word into president tanner. we will both be staying here in Tagbilaran! that is way good news. i am super happy that we are going to stay together. we have a lot to learn from one another. and i feel like i have more to learn from him than he does from me.

so this last transfer we have been trying to find all the members nga dili na tigsimba (that don't come to church) we have found almost 20 of them and have started to teach them. we have had some really good luck the last week because we have found some that aren't even on our list that are from another part of the mission, or even in some cases they are from another part of the world.

the last week has really been CRAZY rainy. it is impressive with how much it has been raining in the last week, especially when just a month ago we were lucky to get even a drop of rain. "with great rain comes great amounts of MUD!" well, i think that is how the quote goes. every night we have been coming home covered in mud because we need to keep using the bikes because our area is ENOURMOUS! so we have had to do laundry each night, but it is super exhausting because we dont get home until 9 most nights, and then we still have to cook dinner, plan, and do laundry (by hand mind you).

this week i had the opportunity to conduct a baptismal interview for the sisters in the Cortez area. it was a very spiritual experience, it also made me rethink my commitment to the Lord and His work, and what it really means to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. i have been thinking about how i can become an even more effective and powerful teacher of the truth. and i have been told how it all starts in our studies that how if, and when we use the time that we have been given, even more specific that i have been given to serve a mission that the spirit of the Lord will be able to take a hold of our hands and guide us to where we need to be.

i have given 2 workshops for district meeting since i emailed last. i really like the one that i just did yesterday, i had a workshop prepared, but right when i was giving it i was prompted to give a different one, but i incorporated more aspects of missionary work, i drew on the board, and helped them think about the things that as a mission we need to get out of the rut that we are in. we have dug ourselves in so deep that we need a ladder (the atonement) to get us out of the hole. President Tanner has related it to us being held down by the Chains of the adversary. and how we need to break them.

I love you all and you are all in my prayers. just keep your HEADS up always, dont ever feel down!

 

-Elder Larson the YOUNGER

PHILIPPINES CEBU EAST MISSION!!!! OCT 2013-JAN 2016 

June 21, 2015

So before i get into how i almost died, i figured i would tell you all the great stuff!

So i was talking to some of our new investigators and they were trying to decide who i looked like most. i have heard Paul Walker, and John Cena the most. which i guess is not a bad thing, because they are both not bad looking! also, i have been told that i act a lot like Seth Rogan (from the Green Hornet) just the way i act, and my kind of funny. it was kind of shocking because i dont really know what his type of funny is. but i am sure that it would be right.

This week we were super lucky because we had the privilege for 2 different CSPs. 1 of them was in Catigbian which was about an hours drive from our area, it was probably one of the most difficult and most amazing, and worthwhile CSPs i have done in my mission. we built houses, mixed cement(that is DIFFICULT) we just used a few shovels, and then mixed it on the ground, it is super heavy. we were there for about 5 hours, and it was not easy work. lets just say that i am still sore from it. i am not very good at getting pictures because of many reasons, the main one is because i am too busy doing the work. especially when it comes to service, i can't get enough of service projects. there was 18 of us Elders that went to do the service.

alright so on Saturday we had another CSP where we did some clean up their land, and we (Elder Jennings and I) went and worked on their Payag (little hut) by re-roofing it with NIPA or leaves from a coconut tree. it was grand, the only bad part was that i cut my hand on the bamboo strips we were using, because they are so SHARP!!!

On Sunday there were about 28 Americans at church, most of them from ARIZONA, around Mesa area. it was pretty cool because we could speak to them, and Elder Jennings could participate and understand everything. they were here doing a service project repairing stuff from after the typhun Yulanda, and the Earthquake of 7.2 back in 2013. (REVIVESERVICETOURS.COM) they are awesome, we met the Executive Director Ryan Ogden from Utah. he served his mission here in Luzon (up north).

alright so this last week were doing a lot of finding, and we were blessed at the end of the week. we had a total of 14 new investigators. we have a family of 10 that we just met, they are so amazing the oldest child is 17 going to be 18 in august, and the youngest is about 1 year old. All of the names of the kids start with a "J" Jennylyn, James, Janice, Jarom, Jaya, Jessel, Joymi, and Joshua. They are so ready, they have been humbled through their trials and desire to come unto Christ. Brother Roney was SUPER drunk but wanted us to talk to him. we talked to him, and the only thing that he wanted was to help his family. so we told him about the "word of wisdom" and how he needs to start living it today, which means no more getting drunk, cigarettes, coffee, and tea. he could deal with everything besides the coffee. 

he then asked "WHY???" i think that he is the first person/filipino to actually ask "why?" we told him about how God revealed it unto a prophet in our day. we also had an amazing conversation with him about the restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith. we talked about the things that we need be doing in order to help our families, and then (even though he was drunk) the spirit in a way helped us to invite them to follow the example of Jesus Christ through baptism. it was crazy because the entire family accepted it.

we are going back to them tonight. but before we left, i said to Brother Roney (the father) that i had a question for him. my question was "can i hug you right now"? he said "yes," then Elder Jennings said "me too." it was so awesome!!! usually Filipinos are against PDA like that... so i was kind of shocked with his response. we also told him "Happy Fathers Day."

TO ALL OF YOU FATHERS, and WILL BECOME FATHERS, I WOULD LIKE TO WISH YOU ALL THE BEST FATHERS DAY!!!

TO MY DAD! i love you so much, i am so thankful for everything you have done for me up until now, i love you so much, and you (and the rest of the family) are in my prayers daily!

 

-Elder Larson the YOUNGER

PHILIPPINES CEBU EAST MISSION!!!! OCT 2013-JAN 2016 

June 14, 2015

so we have spent quite a bit of time contacting LA's, basically inactive, in the last week. We found one, the Niluag family. they were baptized about 8 years ago and went inactive about 4 years ago, and haven't been visited by the missionaries for upwards of 4 years as well, they have 7 kids, the oldest being 28, and the youngest 11. almost all of them have been baptized, but the oldest and the youngest haven't been yet. we taught them yesterday, and it was a way good lesson, i feel like it had an impact on them. we committed them to read the Book of Mormon, and also to come to church this next week. We read Moroni 10:32, with an invitation from Moroni telling all people to "COME UNTO CHRIST" "moduol ngadto kang Kristo." then later in the same verse it talks about how we need to have a love of God! it also talks about the things that we need to do in our daily lives "deny yourselves of all ungodliness."

after that i related it to 1 Nephi 11:16-17. about how much God loves His children (US) and he wants to see us change and be better, he never is disappointed in us, but he ALWAYS wants to see us do so much better because he knows our FULL potential.

so this week, i am not sure if you heard about the MULTI STAKE CONFERENCE here in the Philippines, there was a broadcast from SLC to the whole Philippines in which Elder Niel L. Anderson presided, also Brent H. Nielson (the old area president {also went to the Omaha Nebraska Mission to do a mission tour after he was done here}), Craig C. Christensen of the presidency of the 70, and finally Rosmary M. Wixom the General primary President. it was very informative, and super awesome, cause of many reasons.

1. i got to see my old friends from Panglao again, all of the members that i had shared with, and had grown close to.
2. all the missionaries from Tagbilaran, and Valencia Zones.
3. learned from a member of the quorum of the 12, also other GENERAL AUTHORITIES!!!

This week was also zone interviews, which is where president tanner goes around to all the areas/zones and talks with EVERY SINGLE MISSIONARY!! so he is super busy, the only problem was is that almost everyone had a ton of stuff to talk to president tanner about. so our scheduled time was supposed to be at 6:30 on Friday night, so we got there around 6:15 after passing by our house to grab the food that i cooked for dinner for President and Sister Tanner. (BICOL EXPRESS) i LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!! We waited there until 9:30, then he decided that we will just come back in the morning to finish off. so we didn't work for the last 2 hours of the day. and we also got out to work way late!!!!

we only had time to teach one lesson. but that one lesson was super awesome and we got 5 new investigators from it, because we went to a new part of the area, and found a family that was interested in learning about the gospel.

THE MISSION IS GOING TO CHANGE, actually THE ENTIRE PHILIPPINES is going to change now. there was a new announcement from the area presidency to all missions in the Philippines that MOTORCYCLES are now not allowed to be ridden.... which hurts so much. there are some areas that might be closed down because they dont have transportation to their area, or home at night. for us it is the same way, it is going to require a lot more walking and a TON more time is going to be taken away because now we dont have the same transportation.

The last couple of days has been SUPER rainy, which makes it very muddy.... i will take some more pictures of my mud covered self when we get home each day.

here is just a couple of pictures from the last few weeks, sorry that there are only 2. but they are a good 2;)

 

-Elder Larson the YOUNGER

PHILIPPINES CEBU EAST MISSION!!!! OCT 2013-JAN 2016 

June 7, 2015

so i know i wasnt able to email last week because the email server was down for the entire church last week.... well this week i can email.

so we as a companionship have really been focusing on learning the doctrine of the lessons, so with all of our time walking, we spend it talking, and teaching the doctrine we take note of what the doctrine is in the lessons, i feel that it has really helped me be a better teacher. it has been a good experience for Elder Jennings, because it is forcing him to use the language more, and especially in teaching situations.

well, i have been stuggling with preparing for the district meetings, about what to give a workshop on, and how to effectively help them. so this week i have planned a DM (district meeting) on the DOCTRINE from PMG. so it should hopefully go effectively, and they will learn a lot from me, but even more from the spirit!

Elder Jennings and i made a companionship jersey, so i will take a pic of that when we pic it up later and send it to you! it should be pretty legit!

i have been working on my cooking, i think that i have finally figured it out!!! well, i hope so anyway, i learned how to cook Bicol Express (for those who like spicy this is the one for you) you add about 10 chili peppers and then you add Coconut milk and shavings for a creamy taste!!! it is so DELECTABLE!!!! (i dont think that is the proper word)

we had DLC (District Leader Council) this last week on friday where we all went over to Cebu(all the DL's). it was an amazing experience, we were all taught how to be a GOOD/GREAT district leader, what we need to do to help the missionaries...

umm, i am running out of time.... in many ways, with email. and also in my mission.... 6 months and 3 weeks to live it up and make it the best i can... i should be home around January 25th...

so this last week we were having our companionship inventory, and elder Jennings says that "Elder Larson, you could sweet talk a sour apple." it was super funny, and fits way well! charisma!

 

-Elder Larson the YOUNGER

PHILIPPINES CEBU EAST MISSION!!!! OCT 2013-JAN 2016 

May 19, 2015

cge*(alright), so i have not emailed in what feels like a very long time. because every transfer week our P-day changes from Monday to Wednesday. so tomorrow is our Transfer day, and yesterday we got the transfer call so before i continue any further... We received our transfer calls after district meeting on Tuesday. and I will be transferring to Tagbilaran 1 A. My new companion will be Elder Jennings, and I am still the District Leader! Elder Head is also transferring, he is going to Pajo, Lapu-Lapu.

So because we are both transferring that means that our area is being shut down, and Elder Albar, and Elder Acosta's area just got A TON bigger, they now have the BIGGEST area in the mission. it is about the same size as Salt Lake County! they have a ton of work all over now. So yesterday i went on exchanges with Elder Albar to go and show him where the investigators were that are the most progressing. it was pretty exciting, and i am super sad, because i have some many higala*(friends) that are in Duero that i now have to leave again!

my new area is pretty awesome is what every one says. also i am the Follow up trainer of Elder Jennings, so that means that he is now 3 months here in the Philippines. it should be an amazing transfer up coming, and i am really looking forward to it!

this last week we got another 6 New Investigators, we led the entire district, which is usually not a good sign when "the most difficult area" in the mission is able to find that many and the rest of the zone/district couldn't. so also the zone leaders did a new zone implementation, REFERRALS ASKED FOR/REFERRALS RECEIVED. so it was a big focus on asking for more referrals from our tudloans*(people being taught). we as a companionship asked for 12 and received 4. the rest of the district asked for 14(6 companionship's) and received 2...

so for my workshop i really focused on asking for referrals, and the importance of them. it was really good daw* (they said). the only really hard part now for me is that i cant really follow up with them, and i don't get to see if that workshop helped them or hurt them.... but i told Elder Albar the new DL that i would see how it went.

So a quick shout out to my dad and his mission, this week the only groceries that i bought was CORNED BEEF, and i bought a head of Cabbage. now i know that it is probably not the same as in Ireland but nevertheless the concept is the same. also i ate some dugo-dugo/dinugo*(blood puding) this week, so it was almost like i was in Ireland this last week!

On Sunday the 17th of May we had a branch fast that i set up, because in Alma 6:6 it says "Nevertheless the children of God were commanded that they should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who knew not God." so i encouraged them to help the missionary work progress in Duero by doing a branch fast. and it turned out pretty successful from what i could tell the spirit was much stronger and i felt a ton better at church. the entire sacrament i felt full, i focused on the talks and listened with my "spiritual ears." it was a very uplifting experience, and the best part was that i didnt even feel the slightest bit hungry.

after sacrament i was given the opportunity to teach the Gospel Essentials class (from the New Testament, Chapter 19 about "Thy faith hath saved Thee") it was pretty good, i wasn't sure how to do it but i just followed the spirit and asked questions.

On tuesday after the workshop part of our district meeting we had practice teaching, and I was taught by Sister Cantago, and Sister Calautit. Their goal was to get a referral from me by teaching a portion of doctrine that applied and then asking for a referral. so they shared a verse in Mosiah 28:3, which is one of my favorites here in the mission and one of the reasons that i came back to the mission. it says "Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble." i have been given an excellent opportunity to learn this crazy language, even if i struggle with it on a daily basis, and struggle with English. it is pretty great how i cant speak straight English or straight Cebuano. i always sagol*(mix) Cebuano with Tagalog, and with my English i mix them both.

ALRIGHT LOVE YOU ALL!!!! EMAIL ME!!!!!!

 

-Elder Larson the YOUNGER

PHILIPPINES CEBU EAST MISSION!!!! OCT 2013-JAN 2016 

May 4, 2015

well, i have had just about the hardest week ever. On Monday elder head burned his leg on the exhaust pipe and then went to Tagbilaran. so Tuesday he did his emailing because he couldn't email on P-day.

so Tuesday we went to Guindalman about 30 minutes away from the house on a bus so he could email. he finished at around 1:00, then he had to get a haircut. by the time we finished with everything and made it back home it was around 3:00. so an even shorter day. he then decided that his leg was too sore, in too much pain to go out and teach. so Elder Albar and i went out and worked because his companion Elder Acosta was feeling sick, so just the 2 of us worked. we went out and taught one lesson to a man that believes that only through knowing the name of Heavenly Father we can be saved. we tried to tell him that it is only through Jesus Christ we can be saved. we also emphasized that Heavenly Father is called that because it is sacred title to have. it will be one of the only ones that we will have in the eternities. so it is super important.

On Wednesday we went out to work late, and ended up coming home around 3:00, so only about an hour. Elder Head took the day off again to rest his leg, i don't know why though. so elder Albar and i went and worked again while our companions recovered from their illnesses or injuries. we went on a hike to one of the hardest places to get in my area, because it is like walking straight up a hill. to a few houses. while we were up there we had no set people to visit so we just went and talked to some random people. we then went and found a Tatay(grandpa) and a Nanay(grandma) we taught them about how families can be eternal. they seemed pretty excited about that thought. it was super fun to just be out doing work. my idea of missionary work has changed so much since being back. i know what it is like on the other side of the mission. so many regrets of stuff that i could have and should have done different.

Thursday was super amazing, we had to be to the Tagbilaran Chapel at 8:00 because i had an interview with President Arden (Philippines area President, general authority 1st quorum of the 70) i was super nervous and excited at the same time. we talked about the mission and everything. he gave me a ton of good advice for hopefully receiving help from our branch, and what else we could do to help the area grow and become better than it is now. i talked with him about being back in the mission and he said that it was awesome that i came back to the mission and didn't just call it quits. also he said that i need to start making my letters more about the spiritual aspects of a mission and not about the things that are happening.

on Friday we had our weekly planning, we only have 4 people that we go to right now to teach. so it went fairly quickly. we have been struggling way bad. we are starting to be disappointment in our area, we have almost gotten to the point where we just want to teach rocks and water buffalo... it is just super hard in our area. last week we taught 6 lessons total. but then i was reading through PMG and read on Page 170 about how "No Effort Is Wasted". that really just helped me cheer up and put on a smile even when i was feeling down.

Saturday we made it out to work on time and made it to our first lesson around 12:30which was our timing, we walked for 30 minutes to get there (but not a slow walk, but a speed walk almost a jog) we taught an amazing lesson there to Brother Fernando about the Plan of Salvation. it was probably a little long but he understood the reason for the plan of salvation, and what it is. when we teach him he is so smart, he asks questions and responds to our questions, and makes sure he understands the concepts clearly.

after Fernando we walked for about another 35 minutes to get back to the highway because we had another appointment further down the road. but when we got to the road i went to grab my watch, but realized that it wasn't there.... so my brand new watch that i got just for my mission was gone. i was pretty perturbed that it wasn't there. i was a little (a lot) frustrated, but Elder Head said that we should just pray about it. after the prayer we walked all the way back to Fernando's house looking for it, but it was nowhere to be found... 

we then walked all the way back out to the highway because we still had to go to the next appointment that we had set up for 4. by the time we got there it was around 4:30 because we had taken so long getting there. when we got there the person that we had set up the appointment with for 4 was not there. but we ended up sharing a message about Faith (James 2:17-18) with him. because he was telling us about how he used to work on sunday but then he asked for the day off so he could go to church and his boss let him.

our last appointment for the night was at 5:00, which was about 30 minutes away by bus(over in Guindalman) but then when we got to Guindalman we had to ride a hable-hable *motor cycle for about 10 minutes up into the mountains to get to the appointment.

on Sunday we had a very spiritual sacrament meeting, it was amazing. and because of the start of church it was able to carry the spirit all the way through the meetings. i taught priesthood, and it was a ton better than last weeks lesson, the spirit was a lot stronger, and everyone participated in the lesson.

LOVE YOU ALL!

 

-Elder Larson the YOUNGER

PHILIPPINES CEBU EAST MISSION!!!! OCT 2013-JAN 2016 

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

May 10, 2015 Mother's Day

alright so this week has been pretty good, quite a bit better than our week last week. we have worked a ton harder and had a little bit more help after our fast Sunday! we were able to teach 15 lessons this week which is triple the amount we taught last week. it was so crazy to finally be able to teach more than 5 lessons a week. 

so Monday last week we were in Tagbilaran for our P-day, and there was a ton of missionaries not wearing prostliting clothes (which is against our mission rules, and pretty much everywhere in the world. it says on page 19 in the White Handbook, "On preparation day, wear regular missionary clothes in public. If this clothing is not appropriate for a specific activity, make sure that you maintain a clean, modest appearance. Look for opportunities during the day to find people to teach."

I just didn't feel like a missionary with all of them around, because they were being super loud, and obnoxious. so it really helped me focus on  my attitude and actions in public. and make everything more spiritual.

so last week President Tanner talked about searching on LDS.org for the phrase "And thus we see..." it comes up several times in the Book of Mormon, and each time is Mormon writing a little but powerful statement of truth. I tried it and wrote down each reference, they are all amazing! I encourage you to try it!

this wee we got 5 new investigators, they are so amazing, and are really accepting to our message, 4 of them are Born Again Christian. they actually read, and pray like we ask them to do. it is so crazy how they actually are interested, we have been working really hard on teaching in unity.

this sunday I gave a talk on Obedience, which was just perfect after this last P day where we had that thing happen in Tagbilaran with bugoy *disobedient missionaries. it was pretty good.

I will have my parents let you all know more I am just getting ready to Skype them!!!!

 

-Elder Larson the YOUNGER

PHILIPPINES CEBU EAST MISSION!!!! OCT 2013-JAN 2016 

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.