Kumusta Family

Kumusta Dad Kris and Kids,

I am writing to you today on Tuesday instead this week cause it's P-day today instead, cause it was temple day today! And that was great, It is definitely more small and a more humble temple than at home, but It is very beautiful temple and probably one of my favorites!

I was glad to hear about all the great stuff happening, good Job on your Goal Davo, it sounds astig (Cool) and Anni, I am so excited that you have found a great friend, have fun in school both of you!

So I am sending those pictures again, I hope they work this time, one is of a burning cockroach, which is cool and I have so much fun doing that every morning, cause they are in are house every morning. And on is of the young man we baptized, Jomel 18 yrs old. HE is great! First baptism!! Then is our transportation, a Trike, which is what we use a lot, and the Jeep-Nee we also use a lot, they are our too most used ways of transportation. Fun stuff, oh and the last one is the famous, "Balut" it looks gross but it actually tastes pretty terrible too. ha no it taste like a weird boiled egg. ha weird texture.

I am adjusting to here though, the hardest thing here is the language. I wish I could speak it. But I do my part and do what I can in the lesson to help and bring the spirit. I have actually had some really cool experiences. Last week we went to one ladies house who is less active, and she was very nice. We had two members with us, one getting ready for his mission, the other a 17 year old girl named Maymay.(sounds like My-my). We got talking with her, and then told her we would be happy to share with her a lesson. My companion had told me previously that I was giving it, which I was used to, I usually give the lesson in members homes. So when we told her that, she said, "yes, yes please share with me a message, but share me something 'NEW'!" I got really scared then, cause I got this feeling all the sudden that she felt as though she has learned all she thinks she needs, and all there is about the church, and I knew I had to share something that was probably a little more special to me. So I shared to her how hard Tagalog is for me, and that I was struggling with it, then I read to her some scriptures, in 2nd Nephi, about 3 scriptures throughout the whole book of 2nd nephi that Helped me a lot. And it was good, sharing her that personal thing to me, helped bring the spirit, and then I told her how important it is to read the Book of Mormon and CONTINUE searching them cause we find new things every time we read it. It was hard to say that, cause 1, the language is a freakin poop in the pants, and 2, it was hard to keep my voice and myself composed, I was almost crying but then I remember that I don't cry, I weight lift and Burn Cockroaches. Ha It was a good lesson, and helped me learn the Importance of the spirit, and if the spirit is their, than that is all the investigator needs to feel, cause it will Plant a Seed!

So that is one of many experiences that I have had here given of the lord to me! I am very grateful for all the trials and help also he gives to me, especially in a lesson when I am secretly praying for his help cause I know I can't do it without him. And I am forever grateful for that!

The people here are great and I learn so much from them! Especially my companion, he is always happy and helps me be the same. I hope to learn and take that way of living into my life forever. I want to always try to be happy.

I love you all, and I hope you are all happy! I hope you get into the house quick and easy. OH the names of my investigators who are close to baptism are, Brother Manuel and sister Jocelyn, and Bro JR, who all have baptism dates. Then we have Sister Minerva and her daughter sis Glayza, then Sister Myra, whose mother is bed ridden so she won't come to church, we hope that changes so she will, cause she has a great desire!

Love you and miss you,

Your Anak ( son ) and Kuya ( older Brother)

Elder Benjamin Larson

The Nelsons

Every week I say that it was a good week, but this had to have been the best week of my life. Everyday we have been working hard and with the spirit guiding us. This purification process is really working. I feel more spiritually in tune and happy. We found two cool people to teach, Ashley knight and Frank Hernandez. Ashley is a college student who was taught before around two years ago. The area book is there for a reason. She is super funny and opened up to us immediately. She is very open and willing to listen to us so we will see what happens there. Frank is a guy Elder Gordon and I knocked into 4 months ago and just kept him in the back of my mind. This week I just thought to go visit him. We caught him at the only time he would be home from his busy schedule. the spirit was so strong as we talked with him and we told him that it wasn't by chance that we came to him at that time. Frank is a very nice and well minded man and he has a very sincere desire to find direction in his life and especially for his kids. So I am really excited to help them come into the gospel.
The best part about this week was the baptism of Scott. Friday night Scott's mom flew in to be there for his baptism on Saturday. Scott was very surprised and happy that she came. Scott chose me to be the one who baptized him and Elder Cook to be the one who Confirms him. The baptism was the best and most meaningful and spiritual baptism I have ever been a part of. Scott is 6 ft 5inches and about 280 ish lbs and I was wondering the whole time if I was going to be able to lift him out. The lord was with me and I baptized him with ease. I felt the holy ghost so strongly I could hardly keep my eyes dry. Elder Gordon gave a wonderful talk about the Gift of the Holy Ghost and it just destroyed me and him. He and I were joyfully balling our eyes out silently. Pretty much the whole ward was there to support him and even President Summerhays came to witness it. It was great and I never have seen Scott so happy in all the time I've been with him.
Later that day we played soft ball as an elders Quorum and had a little BBQ. Of course Scott and his family came and it was so much fun. In Church the next day you could tell who all went because of the redness of our sunburns. But I have to say it was all worth it.
The confirmation was very good as well, Elder Cook is so spiritual and good. He said some amazing things and blessed him abundantly. I told him good job but he looked at me and just said, " it wasn't me dude." The spirit has been with us all week and it is great to be a tool in the lords powerful hands.
Scott's Mother Irene enjoyed everything and I think that because of all the things that she has been exposed to this past weekend she is going to be a member very soon. Sunday night we went over to Scott and Margie's house and we Celebrated everything by watching," Joseph Smith, The Prophet of the Restoration." It was so good and the spirit manifested the truth over and over to me. We bore great testimonies to them all and shared words of love and encouragement, Endure to the end.
This gospel is the true and living gospel of Jesus Christ and who ever will grasp onto it will never be the same. What a joyous truth. Another week is ahead of us and we are pumped for it. Stay well and be happy. I love you all.

--
[Elder Spencer Larson]

PS I will try to send pictures but it usually doesn't work, but I will try any way. let me know if you get the pics.

BBQ

Hey everybody,

Last Monday(P-day) we had BBQ at our District Leaders house. We bought the meat seasoned it and cooked it, actually it was very good. Then on Monday and Tuesday we work in our District Learder´s area, and then on Wednesday our district leader and his comp came to our area and worked with us the whole day, and we taught about 13 lessons in total that day(It´s a new idea our mission president thought up to help make a up-start in our areas).

On Thursday we taught Venessa THE Word of Wisdom, and I my comp´s mom was Indian, and he taught about why we don´t drink Black Tea. He said that the herb that is used in black tea is a member to same family as Merauana called ´Camélia´. And this Herb is used heal wounds, but when people drink it or eat it, the organs in-side of a person start to come together and become joined together. But no one here drinks black tea so it´s not really a problem here.

Saturday a sister in the branch that is a less-active member, her husband died (he wasn´t a member), and we had been visiting him and gave him a blessing. Elder Pinheiro dedicated his grave. And Saturday was Elder Pinheiro´s Birth Day, and we had an activity for all the members that had a b-day this month, and we had a lot of people at the activity(45).

Sunday was District Conference (Stake Conference), we took a bus to the conference with our branch and took 1 hour and 10 minutes to get there but it was fun ridding in the bus with everyone.
I know that this is the true church on the earth, with the power of God to baptize and that we can only go back a live with god if we are baptize by this Power in the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints. Have a good week everybody, with love

Elder Stephen Larson

Hey Pinakamamahal (most beloved) family

Hey mom and Jess, and Pinakamamahal (most beloved) Family if you read this!

I am doing good here in the Philippines! Something weird happened today, it rained, but it was soft, like in America, Ano ba iyon!! (what the crap)

This week has been good. I have had many growing opportunities. And wow, this mission is really stretching me! Ha I like it though and I am grateful for each and every one of the trials here cause I know as I trust in the lord, He will build me stronger in them, and in my life! For the future!

Today, I was in a jeep-nee taking a nap during our travel home from district meeting, and one little boy came up and with, what looked like a hot pad, cleaned my shoes. he then held out the cloth to me, and I thought he wanted me to wipe away my sweat with it, I almost did but the elder next to me, elder cassimero from hawaii, stopped me and said, no elder he wants money. Ha so I told him sorry i had, none, cause it's Bawal (forbidden) for us to give money to anyone here. I felt so bad looking into that poor boys dark black eyes. I very wanted to give him one peso even, but hindi pwuede, (can't). But I figured out that we can give them candy or snacks so i am going to start carrying snacks on me for the children I see begging on the streets. their are many children begging here.

So it sounds like you are all busy in your lives and mom It seems crazy how many projects you have! But I know you can do it, cause you somehow always do do it!

Well Mahal Ko Kayo Lahat! ( I love you all) and I hope you are all very happy in your lives and all your many doings. I know the lord our father in heaven Love each and every one of you! because no matter our circumstances in life, we are still his children and he will always love us and want the best for us, it is up to us however to do what we know is best for us, which is the same thing that he wants us to do. Remember that! ha

Love your son, and brother

Elder Benjamin Larson!

Great Scott!

Holy Cow! this week is a great week I guess things just keep getting better and better. We as a mission are doing this 40 day purification thing. We make a list of things or behaviors that poke at our spirits. So I fasted and prayed and started making a list of things that I can get better at, Stuff that just pokes at my spirit. Some of the stuff on the list I thought was really pointless and then I thought of the spirit and said,"no I need to follow the spirit and stop doing that thing. So it is hard and I make mistakes every day on that list. but at night I have a little accountability session with the lord and I strive and promise to do my best the next day.
So since our own Zone has been doing it we have set 4 dates for baptism and we are all getting pumped to do missionary work.

One experience that we had was really special and unexpected. We had Stake conference this last Sunday and it was so great. Scott, Margie and Little Scottie gave us a ride to the stake center and for conference. Scott kept talking and saying that he has been praying about baptism and hasn't gotten an answer yet. I just told him that the lord often times requires us to act in faith to our best knowledge before showing us the way. At stake conference there were many talks about the temple and after wards Scott told me that he felt like he should do the work for his father. We told him that that was the spirit that told him that. He looked kind of surprised but knowing we were right. Then we ate lunch with them at their house and Scott just said," you know lately I have been feeling better about this baptism thing." My heart immediately began to pound and we challenged him right then to be baptized next Saturday. He said yes. The best part was when he told Margie and she thought he was joking. After 5 months he is finally getting baptize. What an experience for me to behold. Scott is the man.

We also are going to Baptize a girl named Sarah. She is having some struggles with the fact that we won't be here forever to help her along. so she is trying to get used that fact, but she is still good to be baptized. The is moving forward and it is because all of us are striving to be better and stronger tools in the lords hands.

One last thing that I am excited about is that the stake announced the starting of a new Young Singles branch at our church building. And guess who is going to cover it for the rest of the transfer. That's right We are!! I am so happy for that, it is going to be great.

I love you all.

--
[Elder Spencer Larson]

Thankyou for sending me letters!

Hey everybody,

Thank you everyone that has sent e-mails to me, and for the letters that were sent(Jessica Larson, Dad, Anikka Larson, david Larson). The last four letters were from Janelle Larson, Haley Rodabough, Ashton Rodabough, and Katlyn Cummings. Eu estou Muito muito Grato para todos vocês!(I am very very Thankful to all of you!).

We are teaching Venessa who is having problems in going to church, she said it´s because she dosen´t wake up to her alarm(or lazyness?) but we have been teaching her for almost 6 weeks and she still hasn´t gone to church once, but she been reading the book of Mormon. Leia, tabeta(mother and daughter) are reading the book of Mormon and leia said she is starting to feel like the things we are teaching are true because she wants to learn more, she has less feelings of anger, she´s more calm she said, but she didn´t go to church when she said she would and we don´t know why yet. Jessica, janaina, ana claudia(3 sisters), I did a contact with there mom and then we went to there house invited them to go to church and they went, yeah, we are excited to invite them to get baptized. Silvio, marcia, ana, sezer, silvio jr., and maria(this is a family we are teaching), this is a family really cool that we are teaching, it just that the perants aren´t married and marcia said during a lesson that she dosen´t want to get married to Silvio. So that creates a little bit of a problem.

We are focusing a lot on Following-Up with all of our investigators every day passing by there house, writing a letter and living it in there mail box, or talking with them on the phone so that they can feel the spirit and remember there commitments like read the Bof M, AND PRAYING. I believe this will help our investigators progress and get baptize.

I KNOW GOD LOVES us and we are his children. Everyone have a good week. With love,

Elder Stephen Larson

Hey Jess

Hey Jess,

So I just realized that I don't really send you anything for the blog you have. Sorry, I will paste the stories from my other email of moms, to this one to you. For the blog, if you want.

This week has been good. I have had many growing opportunities. And wow, this mission is really stretching me! Ha I like it though and I am grateful for each and every one of the trials here cause I know as I trust in the lord, He will build me stronger in them, and in my life! For the future!

So there were a lot of things happened this week, I will first start with my favorite. So we were going to an appointment and it fell through, then we weren't sure where to look for people next, so I said, "lets flip a coin" to see who would take the lead and go find and talk to someone. I thought for sure it would land on my Kasama, Companion, it didn't. It landed on me and my own trick backfired on me big time. So I just started walking cause i didn't know where to go, we went into these group of houses kind of out of the way, where we have never been before, then I just stopped at one house and said in a loud voice to the people home, "Tao po" which means , hello, or are people here. and guess what happened!!!! Yep, no one was home, but the persons neighbor came out and said, "wala" no one, so we said thankyou then started to talk to her. I introduced my self then my companion introduced himself and took it from there cause I can't really do much after that. but i try. So after a while of talking to us, she let us in, we learned her name was sister Mary Sison, and she has 2 kids, I think, and one of her kids and his family is living together with her, then the others are in america, wow! ha so we started talking and she spoke to me in best english she could, it was more like Tag-lish, ha and she said that she wants to hear from us cause we are here for the lord, and she wants to here from our spirits and feel close to god. she really opened up to us and told us she is a widow and some other problems in her life. And I felt the spirit, and I hope she did too as we shared a short message about our purpose as missionaries and what our gospel is, and what it can do for us in our lives. I bore my testimony, and I tried my best to express my love for her through the words of my heart in the best tagalog that I could speak, and I just really wanted her to know that I want to help her, so that is what I said, and she seems so great and pure. She really has been prepared from the hands of god! I have a closeness with her, I don't know why, but I really like that she said she wanted to here from both of us, not just me, and because we are working on the lords behave, and not cause i am american and she wants to here me try to speak tagalog. She is the first person I have met who I feel wants to listen to the lords message, and not the words of a plain old american trying to speak English. I love that about her!

So that was my favorite thing this week, I pray and Hope she Keeps her desire to learn and feel the spirit through the message of the lord. The next craziest thing that happened was yesterday. I gave a talk in sacrement meeting. And I didn't know about it until Saturday night. so I only had a little time to prepare and I wanted to do it in tagolog! so I chose my favorite topic, cause the bishop said i could, it was FAITH. Cause I know how weak i am and that without faith I will not be able to do anything in my life the right way! So I gave my talk, about 15 minute talk in Mostly Tagalog. I shared one story in english. And I felt good about it.

So I got through that hard thing, then after church, a few members wanted to work with us, so my companion said ok, we will SPLIT! WHAT!!!! SPLIT, I had no IDea what he was thinking! HA I said, "wow, are you sure," my tatay, (daddy\trainer comp) looked at me and said, "don't worry you can do it". SO I trusted him and the lord and we did it. I took two members with me, to the one appointment we had planned. So I Navagated our way to the home through all the alleyways, and random streets, Ps there are no street numbers here, just random names. So luckily with the lord helping me remember, we found the house, I was just trying to make it look like I knew what I was doing so the members didn't know i was clueless. It worked pretty well. SO our appointment................ Fell through, the family was gone. So I said, alright, lets go find! It turned out really good actually, I got to talk to some people at some houses I have been wanting to go to and we found 2 less active / part member families! It was great! But wow, I am really getting stretched here on mission Ko, My mission. ha

Oh Jess, PS, Tell Jenn I got both of the Letters she sent me, but I got the second one faster than the first one. Ha tell her I am doing good too!

Love you ATE(sister) I hope your happy and loving life, like a Filipino!

Love your little bro, Elder Benjamin Larson

Yay Investigators!

Hey my Family,

This week was super awesome! I have never felt so used by the spirit in my life, if that makes sense. At the beginning of the week we went and had a meeting with Elder Zivic of the 70 and it was so awesome. I shook his hand and he gave us so many inspiring words of encouragement and advice. I loved every minute of it. I had to ask Elder Burton for some more paper because I was running out of room, to write notes. After that big meeting was done all the Zone Leaders got to have another meeting with him on more specific things such as what new programs we are going to focus on. At the end he gave me a big hug and said that he loved me. It struck me so hard that a man that I didn't hardly know could say that to me. I said the same to him. I even got a picture with him that I will be sending to you all in the mail this week.

Sunday was the best day ever. A whole nonmember family walked in like they were members for the whole sacrament. I didn't realize until the middle of sacrament that they weren't members. I guess the spirit told me that one. So after the closing prayer was done I walked ever so swiftly to meet them at the exit. And sure enough they were nonmembers and I invited them to stay but they said that they had to go. I thought Dang they think we are a colt.haha. but I know that the lord has plans for them in the future some time. How funny it would be if we knocked into them.
We have been teaching a Girl named Sarah and her friend Mickey. They are both friends of Jasmine, a youth in our ward. Sarah is super golden. She doesn't know what religion she is and is very sincere about finding the truth and happiness in her life. One thing about Sarah is that she has Panic attacks often. She had one right after we told her about Joseph Smith and the vision he had. She left to Jasmines room the rest of the lesson. When she came back she said that she knows that what we said was true. She said she had no doubts about it. My heart was jumping around inside like fire. Mickey was also a miracle as well. She is Atheist and just wanted to know what we believed. We told her alright and we gave her a Book of Mormon and Challenged her to read it, ponder about the message it contains and then pray and ask god about it. She surprisingly said yes. The Miracle was that Jasmine had tried multiple times before to get her to read the Book of Mormon but she wouldn't until we taught her. I hope she realizes how much God has been apart of her life.
After Church on Sunday Margie had told us that a lady at her work. She works as a nurses aid and a the lady she told us about was in a lot of pain and the doctors don't know what it is. So we go with Scott to the rest home and see her. I can't tell you all the details of it but her legs don't work and one leg is in bad shape. So we taught her a very spiritual lesson about what we do and where we are from. Then we talked about the Atonement, and how Jesus Christ understands with a PERFECT KNOWLEDGE of what she was going through and he can heal her. I gave the anointing of the oil and Elder Cook sealed it and gave a beautiful priesthood blessing. Barbara was the ladies name and she said that as each one of us added our hands on her head she felt very calm and peaceful. She didn't get up and walk like we all joked about after the blessing was done but I know that she will be healed.

So that was my week and I hope I can have more weeks like it. Have fun with the sports Annika and Davo, you will learn a lot from them. And make sure if you can to include that good old game of Lacrosse in there because it rocks! I want a stick so so bad. anyway I love you all and have a great week.

--
[Elder Spencer Larson]

Venessa

Hey everybody,

We are teaching Venessa(31) who is reading the Book of Mormon a lot, she is now in 1 nephi 15 and she is understanding just about everything that she is reading. I have never seem someone who understood so much, but yet she has not gone to church. And for the passed 2 weeks not one of our investigators have gone to church like Gil(53) that we have been teaching for about a month, Jurandir(37) who hates Joseph Smith but likes us and even likes Thomas S. Monson but he is still smoking, and theres a couple that we started to teach this last week Josué(60+-) and Josélia(60+-) they love the missionarys. They were taught for a long time but never progressed because they smoke. have a good week.

ELder sttephen larson

Wet Season

Hey mom!

SO I am doing good here in the philippines, It is the wet season right now, so far the highest it has been has been up passed my heels. Ha my shoes were wet for the rest of the week, but don't worry, I bought rubber shoes for cheap, escpecially for rainy days. It does rain a lot here, and when it rain, it rain, because it's the philippines. haha I hope jess makes it in that choir, that sounds like it would be fun! And I hope the storage room comes a long ok, the dogs need that room, haha!

It's been good here, really hot, and I have a little bit of a stuffy nose, but I am okay. We just came from getting hair cuts, and that was an interesting experience, let me tell you. So my companion is telling me of this great place he gets his hair done, for 50 Pesos, which is like 1 dollar and 10 cents, so I am pretty stoked, cause I need a hair cut. Then we walk in, it was an ok salon, not terrible, but once I saw who was cutting our hair, I thought to myself, 'You have got to be kidding me'!!! It was a Bakla, or in english, a gay guy who dresses like a girl. and it was so wierd cause my companion was calling him, "her"! Ha I guess he didn't want to be a guy, but that was a wierd experience, having a gay guy cut my hair! Ha ha but it's ok, even though he told me I was "guwapo" (Handsom) and that he, or she, wants me to come back, ha I don't know if that will happen. Oh you can share this story to the whole family if you want, the old lady kissing story too, ha pretty much if I have funny slash cool stories, you should share them. ha.

So Last week, we went with sister Edanyo, who lost her birth certificate, we need it so she can get married, and she needs to get married so she can get baptized, as well as brother Manuel, her 'husband'. so we went to the city hall again, and instead of going to the regular office we go to, we went to a different, I don't know why we just did, and it was there!!! She was so happy and excited, and then when we went back the next day to teach and talk to them she seemed so excited and just happier than could be! I am happy for her, and for brother Manuel, their baptism date is for the 17 of september!

Ha also, we went to a mall today with the other elders we live with, elders Casimero, from hawaii, and elder orcales, who is a native here in the philippines, he has been out as long as me! ha so we went to the mall, and it was HUGE!!! I almost forgot I was in the philippines for a second cause it was bigger than any of the malls we have in UTah. It was a bout 6 or 8 stories high, HUGE! ha and it was weird cause when we walked in, there was christmas music playing in every store. and decorations being set up, like christmas trees and everything. Ha ha, I guess here in the philippines, they start christmas stuff in september and go until december, so basically, all the months that end in 'ber are christmas months. Spencer would like this, not so much stephen.

Yep so I am doing well, I don't know if the pictures I tried to sent worked or not, I tried to sent some last week, but i don't think it worked cause dad didn't get any, so I sorry if you didn't get any, I will try again, next week! Oh and thankyou for the address of Days market, I have been meaning to write them.

Ha the language is hard. I don't understand a lot, actually pretty much nothing, I can pick out words and sometimes get the meaning of what someone is trying to say, but I can't really understand at all, or talk, mostly I can only Pray and bare my testimony, still, but I have been practicing teaching lessons with my companion, and i have actually given a few lessons, only one to an investigator, but others to the bishop and his family, and other members we visit, so they can help me. They always say, "Magaling," which means, good, good job, but I know they are lying, ha because they look so confused, but it's ok, I will get it one day. The hardest thing is when me and my companion are trying to communicate and we don't understand each other, I try to ask or re phrase what he was asking in tagalog to see if i can understand it better, but then he doesn't understand my tagalog at all, and I get frustrated with that sometimes, but It is helping me grow and be better.

I love you mom, and Jess, I hope you both are very very happy!!! And I hope you share my stories with our family, Ha i think they are very funny!

I love you and pray for you always, I know this church is true, and that the work i do is the work of the lord, and he wants me to do it. Do his work whenever you get the chance, you never know how your simple short testimony will help someone's interest spark and change their lives.

Again I love you so so much,

Elder Benjamin Lamoreaux Larson

Going to the barber

Hey Dad and kris and Kids.

I am so glad to hear that Anni you love school so much and that you are going to play basketball and volley ball, have so much fun with that, and just try your best! And also David, It is so COOL that you are going to play football, I wish I played football, but it's ok cause I played Lacrosse and Baseball, so cool! Also it's cool that you caught two foul balls, thats always exciting!

So I am doing good here in the Philippines, the language is very hard, I only understand like 15 percent of what people are saying, and that gets frustrating, but i keep trying, and I know someday I will get it, someday. It is hot and it is the wet season right now, and it rains a lot, the highest it has been is past my ancles, ha it was crazy, my shoes were wet for like four days, but I bought some rubber shoes for cheap after that, special for rainy days.

So today we got our hair cut, and it was weird. We walked in the barber shop, my comp was telling me what a great barber we were going to, and when we walked it i just thought to myself, "You have got to be kidding', the barber who was going to cut our hair was a 'bakla' or a gay guy, who dresses like a girl. so weird!! My comp elder samson went first, then I went, and It was just wierd, and he or she was talking to me and asking me about my home and stuff, and my job before i came and if I had a girlfriend. It was weird, and after it was over she/he said I looked so 'guwapo' or handsome, I was like 'don't tell me that' in my head! then the person said i should come back, but I don't know if that will happen. Ha ha, so this is just one of many stories I will have on my mission, ha ha ha

We went to the mall today, and Anni, you would love it, It was huge, at least 6 stories high, I almost forgot i was in the philippines. But the strange thing was, that there was christmas music playing all over the place, I guess here in the philippines christmas stuff starts in September and ends in December. ha so all the months that end in 'ber, are christmas months. ha Oh and their halloween is on november 1st. ha just some differences. I like it here though.

So Sister edanyo, who lost her birth certificate, finally got it! SO now she can get married to her 'husband' brother manuel, and they can get baptized. last time we talked to them, she and he looked very happy and excited! Now we just need to find a bishop with a licence to marry, ha it takes a while for that to happen i guess, cause none of the bishops in our stake or area have license to marry. ha it will happen though.

So i am doing good, I like Twizzlers and cinnamon bears and oreos and stuff, incase you were wonder to put in my package. I am in Pasig city, Pasig 3rd area, I don't know if Uncle stan is coming or not, or if it's allowed but if He wants to know, yeah thats my area, and our apartment is in Decastro, he can probably get more info from Pres. Delamare if you want to know the rules or anything!

I love you all and hope you are happy.

Love Elder Benjamin Larson

An 78 old lady kissed my shoulder

Dear Mom,

Things are going good here in the philippines, it's still hot, but it has been raining a lot so that helps a little bit. My fourth day here I think the rain was up to passed my ankles, so my shoes were so wet, I bought some rubber ones for like three dollars after that they work great in the rain!

So I tried to attatch some pictures here, I hope you get them, they are just of things I want to show you, one is of our bathroom in our apartment, another is a family, they are somewhat active, they sometimes don't come to church because their mom has to work and she doesn't want them traveling alone. I baptized this young man on saturday the 27 I think, His name is Jomel, he is 18 and when he asked me to baptize him i was surprised cause i barely know him, but he has a great spirit and I think if he chooses to, he will be a great missionary. The Car bus thing is called a Jeep-Nee, we ride in these a lot, when you want a ride you just shout, Para po, and wave your hand, and if you want to stop you say, para po again, ha it fun. I have been in one with more than twenty five people I think, people just pile in, and some people stand on the back and hold on if there is no room, don' t worry, I never do that!

The motor cycle thing is called a Tryc, and those are fun too, same thing to get them to stop, para po, ha and I have been in one of those, with 7 people riding in it, they know how to fit people in those things, don't worry it is safe, I didn't send any pictures of the Balut cause I wasn't sure if you would want to see it, but i have pictures. Just tell me if you want some. ha

So we had the baptism of Jomel on saturday and i had the great privlage to baptize him. It was great, the water was cold, and a little green cause it was sitting in there when we got to the church, but we couldn't find out how to drain it so we just left it there. So like i said, the water was cold, but then it wasn't at the same time, cause what was taking place was so amazing we didn't even notice it. It was a great experience to baptize this young man, he has a great spirit even though we don't understand what eachother is saying very well, we understand each others spirit, and that is truly amazing.

We are teaching on couple, the Edanyo's, they are a great couple, so hospitipal, they always give us snacks when we visit, sometimes I feel bad cause they don't have a lot and I don't want to take anything from them, but it would be rude to turn down their generosity, so I always except with a huge, salamat po, and a smile! Well the story with them is that they are not married, but they can't get married cause she doesn't have a birth certificate, it was lost and it is really hard to find something like that, especially here! Well so we are trying to help her with that, we go with her to the city building place and try to get it, they keep saying it's coming but it doesn't seem like it ha, we mostly try to be her suport and help her get through it and stay strong.

The language is hard, I don't understand or speak a lot, but when I do speak I do my best to listen to the spirit and say what the lord would have me share, I have taught one lesson, the restoration, most of it, in tagalog, it was hard, and simple, and my companion elder samson had to clearify a lot of things, but I feel like it was good. Then I challenged the investigator, J.R to baptism, and he accapted, except he is basically a member, he has been going to church for like 2 years, knows everything and apparently was baptized but his records are lost, but I need the practice so he is a blessing to me! ha p.s I didn't know he was so active in the church when I challenged him to baptism, until after the lesson, and I was all excited then my comp told me he is basically a member, haha fun stuff.

So I am doing good, I hope you and jess are doing good, ha i am glad she has Michelle. ha one more story,

So me and elder samson were finding people, trackting basically, and we started talking to this one lady who seemed a little interested outside her house, I was trying to listen and see if I coudl understand and then out of no where, this old toothless lady comes up to me, and starts begging at me. She was saying it was here birthday and wanted money from me cause i am a "rich american" ha I told her wala, I have none, and then she said, ok ok, and then she started pulling on my shoulder trying to make me shorter so she could kiss me, this old 78 year old lady with no teeth was trying to smooch me, scariest thing ever, I was just saying, I don't have anything go away, and then after about 2 minutes of that fun adventure she gave up, and kissed my shoulder instead. ha what a wierd story. that was on tuesday I believe, so 5 days in to my field mission.

Ha so I have a few good stories already, and I am pushing through the language, trying my best, I love you both so so much, I hope you enjoy the pictures!!! Oh yeah my area is in the city of Pasig city. so Maybe you can find it on a map, ha.

I love you and miss you, and pray for you, in tagalog as best I can, ha,

Love your son and brother,

Elder Benjamin Larson

Transfer

Hey everybody,

We had a transfer this last tuesday my comp elder machado was transfered and Elder L. Pinheiro came in his place. Elder L. Pinheiro is 21 years old, he only has 11 more weeks left before he finishes his mission. He is from(city-Belém) Pará which is in the part of Brazil. He was a Police-Men Before the mission, and he said that the mission has helped him a lot. He has some crazy stories. Elder L. Pinheiro will finishing up his mission here in Itararé.
We have some young men that we are teaching Josemar(15), Luiano(15), Lucus(16), and marcelo(18). We started teaching them last week so I gess will just see what happens.
I know that god loves us, and If we just keep striving to do his will, we will overcome all obsticals. Have a good week.

Elder stephen larson

Scottie

Dear Family,

What a spiritual week. Margie's son, little Scottie was baptized on the 27th of August. I was the one he chose to baptize him because I am his most favorite person in the world. He is my most favorite person in the world. He was so nervous as we were walking to the font and we practiced before hand how the baptism would go. He was so nervous that when we practiced he kept hitting his face with the hand that was supposed to plug his nose. We then went in and I prayed my heart out and dunked him. After he came up out of the water he looked at me and then at everybody else and said," That wasn't so bad." He cracks me up. Then the next day Sunday he Margie came up to me and told me Scottie wanted me to confirm him as well. I was surprised and happy to do so. Scottie is the best kid ever, and such a light to the world and a support to his family. His example really hit Big Scott to the core. Later that day we went over to their house and watched the Conversion Story of Glenn Beck. At the end of it we were all in tears, even Big Scott could hold them back. He spoke so openly with us after that and he knows what he needs to do, but thinks that he isn't worthy of such a blessing as baptism. We taught him and the spirit worked on him and testified to his heart that he was worthy. We left without setting a date but I know that the spirit is at work and he will be baptized. I love them so much and the lord is literally pouring out blessings on that family. The Lord Truly led us to them at the right time and in the right place. I love you all. Have a good one.

--
[Elder Spencer Larson]

Dear dad, Kris, and kids

Dear dad and Kris and Kids,

so I am doing good here in the philippines, It is hot but raining a lot lately so pretty good. I have tried to send some pictures I hope it works, tell me if it does or not.

so now I will try to explain some of the pictures, so first, Is me and my comp, elder samson, Next is our bathroom in our apartment, no warm water and no toilet paper, thats an adventure haha. then Its a family, who are kind of less active, just cause they don't come to church a lot, but it's only cause their mom has work and doesn't want them to travel alone, but when she doesn't have work, they come, then there is a sunset I saw on top of the apatrments of the Cinko family, the ones in the picture before, then its My shirt next to my companions, ha I think mine is a little bigger, then there is the 'Trike' we ride in these a lot, to get some where quick, they can fit up to 7 people, sometimes more if they need or want to ha crazy, then its the Jeep-Nee those are also fun, usually only like 20 people can ride in them, if we were in america probably on 20 would be allowed, even though they would be very illegal in america ha, but sometimes they fit 25 or more if they can, people hold on to the back if they need to, i never do that don't worry, then it's me my companion, and brother Jomel, who we baptized on saturday, that was great especially me having the great privilage to baptize him!!!!

so like i said we had the baptism of Jomel, on saturday the 27 i think, that was great, we got there early to fill up the font, but there was already water in it, but it looked a little green so we tried to drain it, we couldn't find how to though so we left it alone, it was still great! the water was cold, but it didn't matter cause the spirit made it warm!! I liked it a lot, even though I didn't feel like I knew him very well and that elder samson should baptize him instead, but he wanted me to so it was ok with me! ha we have given blessings to a lot of people, a lot I feel like, ha but I like it and keep a record of all the times I use priesthood,

The language is hard, and I don't understand a lot, like maybe 15 percent of things, but when It is my turn to speak, I try to share my testimony and a scripture guided by the spirit, I try to always share something different every time and i think I do a pretty good job, except I do wish I could understand more.

Dad, this language is hard, it is probably one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I am going to try my best, I have been trying my best and I know the lord will help me. Having elder samson a native is a real blessing, he helps me alot, he understands and speaks wonderful english too by the way, but yeah, the language is forcing me to grow a lot! ha

I love you all, and anni and davo I hope you like the pictures. Oh yeah, the last picture is of balut I hope it worked, i was having some problems with it, but it looks gross huh, don't worry, its safe, and I feel great,

I love you all, and miss you, I hope you love school anni and davo, and you too kris and dad, with the ward and missionaries,

Love , Elder Benjamin Larson

Sorry, the pictures that Ben sent didnt work. hopefully we can find a way to get them so that you guys can see them