December 15, 2015

hello to all of you! it has been a very long transfer week so far, well a very long week in general. it has been full of ups and downs, and twisting arounds...

well i am going to be in Danao Zone for my last transfer, i am staying as the Zone Leader here, and i will be training a new ZL, Elder Foote, i have known him for his entire mission because he and Elder Head were batch from the MTC. He is about 1 year and 3 months in the mission, and just finished training his 2nd trainee. we have a ton in common already, i am looking forward to these next 6 weeks. it is going to be a big change from how i have been doing missionary work for a while. i know i have not been "in a very good mood" for what seems like a very long time, i haven't been "(MYSELF)." well i am hoping that i get back to my joyful, fun loving self. Honestly, this transfer that is upcoming is looking like a ray of light from the clouds.

this week i have continued to read the D&C, and as of today i am down to D&C 40. even though it is exactly 42 days until i get home, i will be traveling for almost 2 of those days.... technically, but it will only be a few hours. i cant remember if i told you all when i get home, but on January 27 at 5:00 in the evening. i can't remember who i told, but now you all know!

Last week we had our mission Christmas conference, it was way awesome to go to, it is sad to say that this is my last one as a full time missionary... i know i should be thankful that i was able to have 3 of them, and will finish out my last Christmas this next coming week... but i don't want them to end... I love the feeling of being a missionary here in the Philippines Cebu East Mission... my mission has changed me so much, and i know for sure that it is not quite done changing me. I have realized what matters in this life, and what doesn't. believe me i'm not perfect, i still make a ton of mistakes, but i feel like i am doing better than i have in the past.

So yesterday morning i went and printed off the transfer sheet, i can't explain how nerve racking it is to tell everyone where people are transferring, and who is going to be coming in to the zone. what made matters a little bit more interesting was that sister tanner showed up randomly with her kids, and grand-kids... i was not expecting them in the least bit, and then they sat through our transfer calls, then afterword they wanted to ride in the Pedicabs (we call them Sikad). so i paired them up with some missionaries and sent them on their way, well because they drove the car up to Danao. so sister tanner gave me the keys, and said, "Take good care of it, also no joy rides." well needless to say, i followed what she said, and took the car over to a place where she could get it after we finished our lunches.

this last weekend i was chosen to do 3 baptisms, one of the reasons is because i am an american, another is probably because i am their English teacher. but they all chose me to baptize them. it is on Sunday morning at 6:30 before church, because on Saturday all the people were busy fulfilling their callings. Margie, Varnie, and April.

Oh yeah, MAKE SURE THAT YOU SAVE SOME SNOW FOR ME!!! don't melt it all before i get home!

 

-Elder Larson

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

December 6, 2015

another week is over, which means another week closer to coming home. honestly i have had some of the most difficult challenges in this last week. Every first week of a new month we have a meeting called an MLC (mission leadership council) where all of the Zone Leaders, and all of the Sister Training Leaders meet together, in the Mission President's house. In this meeting we discuss as leaders what needs to be done so our mission can run smoother, and be more effective in bringing people/souls unto Christ. Well in this meeting and pretty much anywhere now, i don't feel like i really have a place in the mission still. One reason that my companion pointed out to me is, "you don't act like any other American." well, if i look at that, i guess i can say yeah, you are right. i don't, on Tuesday we had the MLC, and then on Wednesday we were supposed to have a companion study to prepare for the ZTM... (Zone Training Meeting). we didn't have that, because we didn't have studies, we just had an hour long conversation where a lot of things got brought up, about being a "LEADER"... we both agreed that we need to do more, and that we are not setting a good example. well i don't know how long it lasts, usually 2 or 3 days, and then it is back to the 'same ole, same ole.' i still expect so much from everyone in the mission, and nothing ever happens... i guess this is President Tanner's same feelings...

My English class has been doing ok... we have slowly dropped in numbers, we started it with 35 people, this last week we only had 20. i think that they just forget that they can come still, or that we have a schedule... but i think i figured out how to do it. i just taught a little about pronounciation, and then i had them all talk to one another (filipino to filipino) and then the americans/english speakers went around and helped and talked as well, i feel like it added and helped them a lot. at least they said that it was better. the big problem is that they are shy to speak english to an american (ME)....

On Thursday we had our ZTM, and it was way good, some people said that it was the best ZTM they have had in their mission. i agree it was a very good one, it was full of the spirit, and some strong emotions, and the spirit. Ummmm.

i am not sure what else to say...

when you have time i would like to invite you to watch the churches christmas video. christmas.mormon.org it is an awesome video, and if you dare, watch it in Cebuano. i love it!

 

-Elder Larson

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

November 22, 2015

well, my thanksgiving was a lot different than you would believe. i got to experience all the joys, and stress of a father, and mainly a zone leader. i made a deal with the missionaries, well not really a deal, i just told them that we would have TURKEY, and potatoes, i also told them ABSOLUTELY NO RICE, well, the last part was changed, we ended up with rice. but we had 2 turkeys for thanksgiving and 14 missionaries. the thing that was different is that we went and we butchered the turkeys. all together it was 10 kilos of turkey (while alive). well, i am not sure how i should tell you but they are no longer living, but they were delicious, we had them roasted style. it was so good. look at the pictures if you dare... cautionary DON'T LOOK AT THEM IF YOUR NAME IS ASHLEE, OR YOU WILL BE MAD AT ME...

so this week we had another slow work week........ 6 lessons.. it wouldn't have been so bad but it was a lot of improperly used time. we went to Camotes again to do a baptismal interview for the District Leader. so we missed 2 days, and then i also went back to the doctor on Tuesday to have a follow up appointment on my ankle. the doctor looked at my x ray, looked at me and said "you have a sprained ankle" BIGGEST WASTE OF TIME! i could have told him that... i was pretty irritated with him after that analysis of my ankle. but what could i have done differently.

Camotes is so amazing!!! i have been there 2 times now, and we go back again tomorrow to attend their District Meeting, and go on exchanges.

TAKE SOME TIME AND LOOK AT THIS VIDEO, https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-11-73-elder-hales-talks-about-gratitude?lang=eng, and remember to always be thankful for whatever comes into your path.

 

-Elder Larson the ONLY KAY NA ULI NA ANG AKONG KUJA!!!

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

November 15, 2015

Well, in this last week i figured out the benefits of being a Zone Leader of Danao Zone. our zone is from Compostella to Catmon, and also Camotes. (as i typed this i just realized how many "C" cities are in our zone.... wow. well, on Thursday after our ZTM(zone training meeting) i wen't over to Camotes on exchanges with a new missionary, Elder Crapo. His companion is the District Leader, and had a meeting called DLC(district leader counsel). well while he was gone, i went to Camotes to work, also i had to make sure that the sisters got home. well i am the only one with a licence, so i got to drive the Camotes car!!!!! it was super fun! i wish these roads were like america, it is super hard to even try to go fast, well the fastest i got going was 60 KMH.... Unbelievably slow in america!

on Thursday we were headed to our ZTM, we were riding a tricycle(3 wheeled motorcycle) with a basket in the back. well because i was taking clothes to Camotes, i toke another bag with me so that i had some clothes. but when we got off the tricycle i forgot to take my bag with me. so after the meeting we spent about 30 minutes just wandering around the terminal looking for the bag, or maybe the driver. with no success we went to the traffic office. i talked with them and told them what happened, then they put Elder Crapo and i in the back of the Police car, and took us around looking for the bag, with no success, we told them that we had a boat to catch at 5:30. so we checked one more spot and it was no good either. they told us that if they found it before we left for Camotes they would bring it to me. well we got on the boat, and at about 5:20 one of the crew members of the boat came up and asked us if we were missing a bag. the 2 police officers were down waiting just outside the boat with the bag. it was super awesome, and they had impeccable timing.

on tuesday we had MLC (missionary leadersip counsel) it was pretty sweet, president Tanner sent a text to all of the Zone leaders, and Sister Training Leaders ahead to have us come into the meeting fasting with an open heard and ready to learn from the spirit about how we could improve our mission. we learned a ton. it was so crazy to see how many problems really do exist in our mission... try and see what we as the leaders could do, and will do to help them fulfill their callings.

this week i learned a very important thing... the old saying "IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN, YOU PLAN TO FAIL" is true, this week we haven't made any daily plans. to be 100% honest, i didn't really feel like a missionary this last week with all of our running around. i worked 2 days out of 7. Monday-Pday, Tuesday-MLC, Wednesday-ZTM, Thursday-ZTM and camotes. Friday-Camotes still Saturday-Xray/running around Sunday-Church.... i have decided that i can't go to bed until after we do our planning, or even changing out of prostlyting clothes.

this week i have really learned the importance of fasting, we as the leaders in the mission fasted tuesday, and then on thursday we invited the entire zone to fast as well. the spirit was so much more abundant, and felt so much more powerful! i have really learned to love that feeling, and really appreciate it!

 

-Elder Larson

​

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

November 10, 2015

well today i am emailing way late, we had a small CSP today where we were helping the 2nd counselor of the Bishopric with his house. it was pretty easy and yet took way longer than it should have.

so it is super crazy how fast the time goes especially when you are working hard, maybe that might be why this last week has been so crazy long... i don't feel like i have been pushed or have been working very hard. i also haven't worked with my companion. the first day here we went on exchanges, i went and worked with Elder Ferrer in his area, they are just opening up that area, so neither of us knew their area... it was kinda fun but pretty difficult. then on Saturday we went on Splits, i went and worked with a ward missionary, and so did he. it was weird because i had no clue where the investigators were, and neither did he... well on Sunday we had only 1 person accompanying us so we finally did get to work together.... for the most part. we had to stop at 6:00 because we had a dinner with our Bishop.

it is weird being one of the last 16 American Elders in the mission. but that will be ok, it isn't for too much longer. (mainly because there is another batch of Elders from the Provo MTC.

LONGEST TAGALOG WORD!!!!

Nagsisipagsisinungasinungalingan - trying to tell fake lies to another.

I will have a lot more stuff to write about next week, we have MLC tomorrow, and then my first ZTM on Thursday... hopefully it will all turn out well!

​I was looking at the Blog of my oldest son Elder Head, and i saw something that i really liked, so i don't get hit for plagerism. "

On my mission, I've seen a lot of different kinds of happiness but there are three that come to mind at this moment. Temporary happiness, such as the happiness of a child who get's a peso snack; Fake happiness, the charade of happiness of people who use means of alcohol to do away with their problems to become happy; The last is true happiness which, coincidentally, is the kind that lasts. True happiness is the kind of happiness that comes from a life of obedience to God's laws, from having a clear conscience of guilt from sin, from doing those things that will qualify you to have the Spirit with you in your life, and from the confidence that you are doing the things that will qualify you to live in God's presence with your eternal family for time and all eternity.

​"​

 

-Elder Larson theYOUNGER

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

November 3, 2015

good day to you all! i hope that you all enjoyed the changing of the time, and the extra hour of sleep. we here in the philippines don't get any extra or lose any sleep... well because it is transfer week i am sure that you are all excited to hear about my week. as well as hear about what is going to be happening next transfer... TRANSFERS!!! 

I am transferring after 6 months here in Tagbilaran, Bohol. i am transferring to Danao, Cebu. My new companion is Elder Banawan, and our assignments are to be the Zone Leaders in Danao Zone. when i found out all of that i was so shocked, and surprised. we made the request about 2 years ago to be companions. he is my junior-junior batch to arrive in the mission field. i wasn't sure that i was ever going to become a zone leader, and also i thought he would have put me in a smaller area because of my knee. but it is all good to. because i know that i was put in this area for a reason, i just need to go and find that reason.

i have some fun stuff that has happened, some of it is not too fun, but either way, there was quite a bit that happened.

the first thing i will start with the most recent, yesterday Elder Hall was not feeling very good. he was filling sick. well his symptoms match those of Dengue... which is not very good, but it could be worse.. other than that he is doing good, just has very little energy, and has a weird rash developing.

the second is that on Monday we were playing basketball. and the last game we were playing i went up to grab the rebound and i came down on someone else's foot and sprained my ankle way bad... it hurts way bad, and hurts to walk, i haven't gone to the hospital, and YES MOM! i did do RICE, it was better while it was still swollen, now that the swelling has gone a little bit it hurts way worse. it is super tender. when coming back to the mission i had almost planned on spraining it, so i brought an ankle brace (looking back with 20-20 vision i should have been wearing it DUH!) but now i am wearing every day.

we had zone interviews with President Tanner, i believe the last ones of my mission. but it was super awesome to get to talk to him about all of my concerns and problems in person and not have to try and explain everything in a letter, it worked a ton better, and we were able to start problem solving together.

 

-Elder Larson theYOUNGER

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

October 25, 2015

so this week has flown by again, i feel like i was just here emailing.. after email we went and got lunch, we ate pizza hut, it was delicious. on our way out of pizza hut there was a foreigner that just walked up to us and started to talk to us well we found out a little about him, he is from Israel. so Elder Hall was pretty jazzed because he hasn't met anyone from Israel, and he has been reading in the Old Testament about the Israelite people and so forth... he was taught before in Danao by some missionaries. we invited him to church and he said that he would try. but he wasn't sure if he could make it because he is getting ready to go home! well, Sunday came and he wasn't there, but it was still interesting to talk and invite him.

i didn't make a list of things to write about this week so i am not exactly sure what happened.... i know that i did update my journal. i didn't do it for 1 month. but i was reading in D&C 93, and felt impressed to update it and try to keep it current... some days are super hard to do it, for a couple of reasons. 1-nothing worth writing happens during the day. 2-EXHAUSTED from a full day of work... well as you could guess it is usually the 2nd one.

this week we had 2 baptismal interviews, they both passed them. but when we presented it to the ward they weren't too happy, bishop said that they couldn't be baptized because they hadn't been to church... but they have been to church, just not in the ward where they reside, they have been going to Cortes Ward. but now that we told them where they are supposed to go to church they come to the right ward. well, the thing about Ruben is that he has really long hair and a beard. well the ward council talked about how they would like him to cut his hair and be clean shaven before the baptism. so later tonight our bishop, WML (ward mission leader) and EQP (elder quorum president) are going to come with us to teach them.... i don't really get why they didn't put that effort forth in the first place. i have had to force people to come and work with us, but now i can't stop them... i wish it would have been like this for the last 6 months i have been here.

i have texted all of the ward missionaries, as well as all of the other members that would be able to come and work with us, but all of them have said "no, i am too busy" so we haven't been able to work very well, we dont have anyone to help us teach, which means we can't teach some of the sisters, or all of them that we would like to.

on Friday we had our weekly planning, and at the last part it is called Companionship Inventory, well we tell each other the strengths and weaknesses, and try to help each other improve. when it was time for Elder Hall to share my strength, he just said "You will be a great father." he then went on to explain the reasons why, well.. just like my older brother stated in his email, "Dad thanks for going on a mission and leading us by example." The example that i have learned from my dad has greatly impacted my life, as well as other men that have been in my life to teach me how to be the person i am today...

ingat at mahal po ko KAYO!

 

-Elder Larson theYOUNGER

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