Hello mom, and Jess! And Family the rest.
So first, I am doing good. I have a little cough but it isn't bad, probably go away soon. also is there any medicine for coughs? Just wondering.
So my new companion is Elder Ulanday! He is Filipino, ha my second Filipino companion. I think that is a blessing............ I kinda miss Elder Samson but it's good that he left I think, cause now I am the one who knows the area and where everyone is and I feel kind of like the leader. I have also started talking more to people and to the Jeep and Trike drivers. Ha I can kind of carry on a simple conversation. But Tagalog is still hard. There are a few differences in my new comp. one is that he doesn't speak english, almost zero, he can kind of understand but Tagalog mostly. So that is another blessing. It has already forced me to speak more Tagalog, where as before, Elder Samson was really good in English. So I am hoping to grow and learn a lot this transfer.
It is weird having a new comp. Just the whole change thing, cause this is my first new companion and I am still kind of adjusting to how he works. There is a few things that are different than before. Elder Ulanday my new comp. is great teacher, he is good in teaching lessons. But he gets really excited about numbers, and sometimes I feel like he gets too excited about numbers. I don't know, he is a good missionary!!
So last week we met one guy named Ivan, he is a foriegner, from Brazil! Where Steve is right now. Ha he was really good in Tagalog! He came right up to us while we were going to an appointment, and just asked, in Tagalog, where we went to church. I stepped up and told him where and what time, and I got his phone number and address. And then the next day we texted him and asked if we could come teach him and his family. He said yes so we went. Turns out he is a member, who served a mission. And he has a wife who is expecting their first child, she is not a member. So Ivan says he wants us to teach his wife the gospel and hopefully baptize her. Brother Ivan is really.................. excited, Is probably the best way to say it, for his wife to be baptized. We taught the whole lesson one, I taught the last half, or about Joseph Smith and the restoration, I messed up in the first vision of Joseph Smith. I started off good, and then I messed up a little bit, and started worrying about it, then it just kind of fell there. But it was still good. Cause bro Ivan asked me to explain better priesthood and what it is and why so important it is. So I did my best and at the end she said she understood, so we called it good and ended the lesson there. It was a good lesson.
I finally got those letters sent, so you should be getting a letter in the mail soon. I hope. sorry it took so long, it is just so far a way, the post office. So jess saw, jenn. Tell her hi for me. And i sent her a letter too. It's nothing big, so sorry, just a letter.
Mom, I love you too! And you too Jess. Sounds like you had fun on sunday with some of your friends. I am happy for you, I hope you like your ward have have a lot of friends, cause friends are good and happy things!
So that is life here basically. The Tagalog is still harder than knot in a tree, but I know I will get it. Ha brother Ivan said he learned Tagalog in 2 weeks, and that I could too if I fasted and read the book of mormon. He told me not to doubt, I said, I'm not doubting, I am learning patience. And maybe kind of doubting, I mean come on 2 weeks. Flip 'der, Ha so her in the philippines instead of calling each other Elder they shorten it and just say 'Der. Ha I thought it was funny.
I love you my family, be happy, if your not happy, change so you will be! ha I know the gospel is true, and that through it and it's principles we can be happy, and feel purpose in our lives. I love this gospel and how it changes everybody's life who will humble themselves and give heed to it's teachings and the feelings of the spirit. I know it is true and am so grateful, and humbled to be able to share it with the lords children in the Philippines. What a special and sacred calling it is, to be trusted of the lord, to teach his gospel to the world. Freak it's sweet!! WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you all look for chances in your day to day lives to share your testimonies to those around you. It's truly a freakin' sweet thing, and feeling. Nothing like it. I promise, just do it.
I love you,
Elder Benjamin Lamoreaux Larson
PS mom if you haven't sent the package for christmas yet or whatever, Nutella would be a good thing to put in it, cause IT is so EXPENSIVE here!!!!! Ha thankyou mom love you!!!!!!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
21
I can't believe it was already my birthday this last week and I am 21 years old. I can go get drunk now. ha. Thank you all for the gifts and the cards. Dad, I didn't get the package you sent yet but no worries I am sure that it will make it here.
Some interesting things happened this week. Elder Ryan Larson is very amazing at playing the piano and he was needed at every Zone Conference and there are three. So he and another missionary went to those while I spent my time with a Spanish Elder, Elder Weddell. he is pretty cool, he is from Oregon and the special thing about him is that he is a full blooded native American. We had fun, we played a lot of dumb funny games as we did our missionary work and he taught me how to make tortillas. He found out that it was my birthday so he took me to a less active members house and they sang a song to me in Spanish about birthdays. It was the longest happy birthday song ever, and after the song they fed us brownies.
I met up with my comp. at another Zone conference and we gave a training about "Taking finding to another Level". We didn't have a lot of time to prepare but we did the best we can we had fun doing it. It was a very good Zone conference and I learned that I want to be a missionary for the right reasons, and base my every action on my love for my Savior. i also learned that Ever since i had hands laid on my head I am commanded to always be sharing the gospel. My mission to declare the gospel isn't over when I go home it is over when the Savior comes again. What an amazing and wonderful concept.
We taught a lot more this week which is always the best. Eric is one of the guys we taught this past week. it was at a members house and this was the first time meeting him. We told him what we were all about and we taught the 1st lesson. We were led by the spirit the whole time. I said and explained things so clearly and fluently with the spirit that there was no misunderstanding at all. And the best part where the spirit was the strongest was when I told of the experience Joseph Smith had in the grove. As i said it a fire burned in my chest stronger than ever before, and I could barely get out the whole thing with out crying. We all felt the spirit of god that night. Eric came to church this Sunday as well and loved it.
We also set a date with johnny for the 26th of November. He was a member of the reorganized church of latter day Saints but he and his family left because they started letting Women have the priesthood. it was funny usually we teach people who don't know that Joseph smith is a prophet. But he knows, i guess he is going to have to read and pray about Brigham Young. ha ha. he also made it to church.
Last experience that i would like to share was about the concert we did last night. It was very fun and so spiritual. I was in the main choir and also in a couple of small groups. The best part was when my mission Bro.Elder Fangupo sang a solo about the savior called," O lord my Redeemer." It touched all who were in hearing of it. he sang it so beautifully and tenderly that everyone was pierced to their hearts. I know I was.
Any way it was a very blessed week for us. but it was still hard at times. I just remembered the song count your many blessing. and I felt so much better. So count your many blessing and have a great week. I love you all.
Elder Spencer Larson
Some interesting things happened this week. Elder Ryan Larson is very amazing at playing the piano and he was needed at every Zone Conference and there are three. So he and another missionary went to those while I spent my time with a Spanish Elder, Elder Weddell. he is pretty cool, he is from Oregon and the special thing about him is that he is a full blooded native American. We had fun, we played a lot of dumb funny games as we did our missionary work and he taught me how to make tortillas. He found out that it was my birthday so he took me to a less active members house and they sang a song to me in Spanish about birthdays. It was the longest happy birthday song ever, and after the song they fed us brownies.
I met up with my comp. at another Zone conference and we gave a training about "Taking finding to another Level". We didn't have a lot of time to prepare but we did the best we can we had fun doing it. It was a very good Zone conference and I learned that I want to be a missionary for the right reasons, and base my every action on my love for my Savior. i also learned that Ever since i had hands laid on my head I am commanded to always be sharing the gospel. My mission to declare the gospel isn't over when I go home it is over when the Savior comes again. What an amazing and wonderful concept.
We taught a lot more this week which is always the best. Eric is one of the guys we taught this past week. it was at a members house and this was the first time meeting him. We told him what we were all about and we taught the 1st lesson. We were led by the spirit the whole time. I said and explained things so clearly and fluently with the spirit that there was no misunderstanding at all. And the best part where the spirit was the strongest was when I told of the experience Joseph Smith had in the grove. As i said it a fire burned in my chest stronger than ever before, and I could barely get out the whole thing with out crying. We all felt the spirit of god that night. Eric came to church this Sunday as well and loved it.
We also set a date with johnny for the 26th of November. He was a member of the reorganized church of latter day Saints but he and his family left because they started letting Women have the priesthood. it was funny usually we teach people who don't know that Joseph smith is a prophet. But he knows, i guess he is going to have to read and pray about Brigham Young. ha ha. he also made it to church.
Last experience that i would like to share was about the concert we did last night. It was very fun and so spiritual. I was in the main choir and also in a couple of small groups. The best part was when my mission Bro.Elder Fangupo sang a solo about the savior called," O lord my Redeemer." It touched all who were in hearing of it. he sang it so beautifully and tenderly that everyone was pierced to their hearts. I know I was.
Any way it was a very blessed week for us. but it was still hard at times. I just remembered the song count your many blessing. and I felt so much better. So count your many blessing and have a great week. I love you all.
Elder Spencer Larson
I'm jumping rope
Dear Family and Friends,
I can´t beileve how much and how fast Ben can type. I have more problems with typing, so don´t write big long e-mails but I´ll try to write faster.
I am dong good, my health it alright, I am jumping rope sometimes but I am starting again to be more constant with it.
Me and my comp had a bad week this week. It seemed like everything we did just went wrong. Almost all of our lessons felll throught but we are hoping that this week will be better, actully I am positive that it will be a better week.
We have two investagators that are progressing they are Arlindo, and Eunice.
I love you guys have a good week.
Elder Stephen Larson
I can´t beileve how much and how fast Ben can type. I have more problems with typing, so don´t write big long e-mails but I´ll try to write faster.
I am dong good, my health it alright, I am jumping rope sometimes but I am starting again to be more constant with it.
Me and my comp had a bad week this week. It seemed like everything we did just went wrong. Almost all of our lessons felll throught but we are hoping that this week will be better, actully I am positive that it will be a better week.
We have two investagators that are progressing they are Arlindo, and Eunice.
I love you guys have a good week.
Elder Stephen Larson
I couldnt speek english!
Hey everybody,
This last week went by really fast, it seem as if the weeks are going by faster and faster. Well I am doing fine here in São Paulo, Brazil. Me and my comp had some ideas to fine more people to teach, and one of these ideas was me teaching English Saturday mornings. So I have already given 2 classes, and its been cool. In my last English class the ´students´ wanted me to say the closing prayer in English so I did. But when I started to say the prayer, my mind went blank and only Portugês words came to my mind, so I had to translate what i wanted to say from Portugês to English. I was stuttering the whole way through the prayer(how wired right?)
Me and Elder Barboza are getting along better than we were, at the begging of the transfer he was really quiet and we didn´t really know how to work or teach well together, but now we know to work together.
Debora has been hiding from us, so I´m thinking she won´t be baptized on the 19th. Jadson has been opening up to us more and more, in our next lesson we are going to mark him for baptizum. We have a lot of people that we are working with, I hope they will progress and come closer to there Heavenly Father. I love you all, have a god week.
Elder Stephen Larson
p.s. I didn´´t even realize that Halloween had pasted. Have a Happy B-Day Annika and Spencer Love you guys!!!!!!!!
This last week went by really fast, it seem as if the weeks are going by faster and faster. Well I am doing fine here in São Paulo, Brazil. Me and my comp had some ideas to fine more people to teach, and one of these ideas was me teaching English Saturday mornings. So I have already given 2 classes, and its been cool. In my last English class the ´students´ wanted me to say the closing prayer in English so I did. But when I started to say the prayer, my mind went blank and only Portugês words came to my mind, so I had to translate what i wanted to say from Portugês to English. I was stuttering the whole way through the prayer(how wired right?)
Me and Elder Barboza are getting along better than we were, at the begging of the transfer he was really quiet and we didn´t really know how to work or teach well together, but now we know to work together.
Debora has been hiding from us, so I´m thinking she won´t be baptized on the 19th. Jadson has been opening up to us more and more, in our next lesson we are going to mark him for baptizum. We have a lot of people that we are working with, I hope they will progress and come closer to there Heavenly Father. I love you all, have a god week.
Elder Stephen Larson
p.s. I didn´´t even realize that Halloween had pasted. Have a Happy B-Day Annika and Spencer Love you guys!!!!!!!!
Rockin T4
Dear Family,
We have had a great week this week. Monday was a slow and painful day where elder Larson and I wanted to die because we had nothing to do accept stay in our apartment and wait for Halloween to be over. Man! I wanted to go trick or treating. I got over it pretty fast. Even though it is hard everyday to get things moving in this area we still diligently strive to make it work. And everyday as I look back has improved little by little,and step by step. We found two new people to teach this week. First one we found up north in our area. Her name is Amanda and she was on a street where every house had a dogs that consistently barked at us. I couldn't even hear myself think. but the spirit was with us and we were able to teach her the first lesson. She is very receptive and open to what we have to say. I asked her what she believed in and she really didn't know. All she said is that she believed that there is a good and a Bad. What a beautiful place to start in building her testimony of the restored gospel.
The other person that is now investigating is a guy named Brian. We found him after knocking on a less -active members house. It was pretty funny, we walked out and I looked over and I saw him with his other 23 yrd friend and brian had this random stick in his hand. He was twirling it and swing it like a crazy ninja; accept he is a white guy with no shoes on. So we talked to him and his friend and he was interested. We later taught him the first lesson and it went pretty well. We even got him to say the closing prayer after some persuasion and faith building. He has some issues with the Word of Wisdom so we have some work to do with him. The interesting thing that me and Elder Larson talked about later is that even though we both don't know these people accept for the two times we talked with them; we feel almost like parents who want the best for his children. I love them and really do want what is best for both of them in the temporal and spiritual state.
We have one investigator that we have been working with for a little while. His name is Heran. He is from China a long with his parents who are from what I understand agnostic. I was so excited to find out that they were chinese. So when his mom offered to give us a drink I decided right then that I would say thankyou in chinese. When she came with the drinks I said," bu ku qi." She smiled and said," Bu ku qi" back. Right then I realized that I said the wrong thing to her. I Should have said, Xie xie. which means thankyou. But instead I said your welcome. I felt really dumb but she understood what I was trying to say. Heran is a great kid and we are going to set a date with him this week and I got to work on my chinese.
The Lord has blessed us so much this week as we have just strived to be obedient to his commandments. I am very excited to see what is going to happen in the next couple weeks I will keep you all posted. I love you all.
[Elder Spencer Larson]
p.s. I know I say this every time I get a new companion but Elder Larson is my favorite companion.
We have had a great week this week. Monday was a slow and painful day where elder Larson and I wanted to die because we had nothing to do accept stay in our apartment and wait for Halloween to be over. Man! I wanted to go trick or treating. I got over it pretty fast. Even though it is hard everyday to get things moving in this area we still diligently strive to make it work. And everyday as I look back has improved little by little,and step by step. We found two new people to teach this week. First one we found up north in our area. Her name is Amanda and she was on a street where every house had a dogs that consistently barked at us. I couldn't even hear myself think. but the spirit was with us and we were able to teach her the first lesson. She is very receptive and open to what we have to say. I asked her what she believed in and she really didn't know. All she said is that she believed that there is a good and a Bad. What a beautiful place to start in building her testimony of the restored gospel.
The other person that is now investigating is a guy named Brian. We found him after knocking on a less -active members house. It was pretty funny, we walked out and I looked over and I saw him with his other 23 yrd friend and brian had this random stick in his hand. He was twirling it and swing it like a crazy ninja; accept he is a white guy with no shoes on. So we talked to him and his friend and he was interested. We later taught him the first lesson and it went pretty well. We even got him to say the closing prayer after some persuasion and faith building. He has some issues with the Word of Wisdom so we have some work to do with him. The interesting thing that me and Elder Larson talked about later is that even though we both don't know these people accept for the two times we talked with them; we feel almost like parents who want the best for his children. I love them and really do want what is best for both of them in the temporal and spiritual state.
We have one investigator that we have been working with for a little while. His name is Heran. He is from China a long with his parents who are from what I understand agnostic. I was so excited to find out that they were chinese. So when his mom offered to give us a drink I decided right then that I would say thankyou in chinese. When she came with the drinks I said," bu ku qi." She smiled and said," Bu ku qi" back. Right then I realized that I said the wrong thing to her. I Should have said, Xie xie. which means thankyou. But instead I said your welcome. I felt really dumb but she understood what I was trying to say. Heran is a great kid and we are going to set a date with him this week and I got to work on my chinese.
The Lord has blessed us so much this week as we have just strived to be obedient to his commandments. I am very excited to see what is going to happen in the next couple weeks I will keep you all posted. I love you all.
[Elder Spencer Larson]
p.s. I know I say this every time I get a new companion but Elder Larson is my favorite companion.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Happy Halloween not on Oct 31 but on Nov 1
Hey my Mom and my Jess, and all you other wonderful people whoever you are!!!!
First things first, I am doing good here in the Philippines mom, not sick or anything, pooping is a little hard, ha but oatmeal helps. Ha ha Biro Lang, (Just joking)
Mom that is so exciting to hear that you are the champion of all the other quilters in all the land of Utah!! I am not surprised, you are the greatest!! No doubts. And you deserve those bragging rights, you should do it again next year, make it a tradition, although someday you will have to resign so other moms will have a chance to try and be as good as you. I love you Mom.
Jess!!!!!! How is your hair?! Nice and long I hope!! You said you would grow it out while I was on my mission. Maalala Ka ba? (You remember?) Ha No but really, I think it would be sweet if you did that. if not thats ok.
So this week has been tough and fun. We Baptized Tatay Edano and Sister Jocelyn last saturday!!! I think, it was last saturday, anyways, I attached some pictures so you can see. I hope it worked. It is so great to see someone who you have been working with for so long, and waiting with for so long, finally get baptized. And be apart of it. So I baptized Tatay, and my comp. Baptized Nanay. I like these pictures. One thing I noticed is how people look shorter in pictures, like in person I don't realize how short some of the people are, but then standing next to them in a picture, they look so short!! Ha fun stuff.
So let's see, man one thing happened today that was gross. Me and another elder in our house went to go get him a hair cut, I didn't need one, only him. So we went and just a little clarification about barbershops here in the Philippines. So I think they are all a little Gender confused. Cause All the girls that work there, are Tomboy, or Lezbian, and all the men are Bakla's, Gay's. So there's a weird thing. So we went to the regular place, and I just sat and studied / looked at pictures while Elder Cazimero got his hair cut. ( Elder Cazimero isn't my comp. he is just another Elder in our house, and we went together for this.) So a Bakla or a guy who tries to look like a girl cut his hair. And apperently he thinks I am cute and was asking if I have a girl friend. Yup, we got out of their fast!!!! Not going back there again!!!
We also had a halloween ward party and we stopped by to see if any investigators showed up, a few did, new investigators which was exciting. Anyway, so we went and I saw that little girl in the Minie costume and she was so cute!! I had to take a picture and show you! I hope it works. There is many cute Filipino young ones here.
So, nothing too exciting happened this week. The language is still a pain. And people don't look at me in the eyes when I teach, or even just talk, because they are shy, very shy, and that is actually really bother to me. I don't know why. But they look at my comp, and answer my questions to him. Ha fun again. Oh one different thing here, is that Halloween is on November 1 not October 31, so Halloween is tommorrow? Ha and Instead of trick or treating they go to their families graves, which aren't under the ground they are above ground in these cement box things, and then they paint their families graves. Ha a little different.
So I hope you are all doing well. And wow, the twins are going to be 21 soon! They are so old! Ha I hope they are doing good. They seem good from their e-mails.
So mom and Jess, I love you guys, sorry no way cool stories this week. But I am doing good, my health is doing alright, and I am pushing through everything. I know the lord is always with me, because he called me here, and now I am following his call, so as long as I continue to do my best, he will be there to make up what I can't do. I know he loves us all, and we are his children. I know that just having that knowledge is such a blessing! One of my favorite scriptures right now is in 2 Nephi I think verse 22 verse 2, It says, something like this, "The lord has been my support, and my song, I will trust in him and not fear. He has also become my salvation.." something along those lines. but I like that scripture, it gives peace to me, and I know that if I don't fear, and just do as he asks, and continue to trust in him, he will always continue to support me and lift me. I know this is true, and am so happy to share it with you.
I love you both, and hope you are happy. As well as the rest of you, my family! You are all great and your prayers are felt, thank you!
Love your son, and brother.
Elder Benjamin Lamoreaux Larson
PS. the picture of the ship I thought Matt and Ashton would like, a member in our ward made it with his own hands. I think using only his hands, and tools of course ha. but I tought it was way cool. Love you again. Oh the other picture is of me eating sugar cane. I was a survice project. It's like a stick and you peel it, then you take a bite out of the wood like it a string cheese, and just munch, you cant swallow.
First things first, I am doing good here in the Philippines mom, not sick or anything, pooping is a little hard, ha but oatmeal helps. Ha ha Biro Lang, (Just joking)
Mom that is so exciting to hear that you are the champion of all the other quilters in all the land of Utah!! I am not surprised, you are the greatest!! No doubts. And you deserve those bragging rights, you should do it again next year, make it a tradition, although someday you will have to resign so other moms will have a chance to try and be as good as you. I love you Mom.
Jess!!!!!! How is your hair?! Nice and long I hope!! You said you would grow it out while I was on my mission. Maalala Ka ba? (You remember?) Ha No but really, I think it would be sweet if you did that. if not thats ok.
So this week has been tough and fun. We Baptized Tatay Edano and Sister Jocelyn last saturday!!! I think, it was last saturday, anyways, I attached some pictures so you can see. I hope it worked. It is so great to see someone who you have been working with for so long, and waiting with for so long, finally get baptized. And be apart of it. So I baptized Tatay, and my comp. Baptized Nanay. I like these pictures. One thing I noticed is how people look shorter in pictures, like in person I don't realize how short some of the people are, but then standing next to them in a picture, they look so short!! Ha fun stuff.
So let's see, man one thing happened today that was gross. Me and another elder in our house went to go get him a hair cut, I didn't need one, only him. So we went and just a little clarification about barbershops here in the Philippines. So I think they are all a little Gender confused. Cause All the girls that work there, are Tomboy, or Lezbian, and all the men are Bakla's, Gay's. So there's a weird thing. So we went to the regular place, and I just sat and studied / looked at pictures while Elder Cazimero got his hair cut. ( Elder Cazimero isn't my comp. he is just another Elder in our house, and we went together for this.) So a Bakla or a guy who tries to look like a girl cut his hair. And apperently he thinks I am cute and was asking if I have a girl friend. Yup, we got out of their fast!!!! Not going back there again!!!
We also had a halloween ward party and we stopped by to see if any investigators showed up, a few did, new investigators which was exciting. Anyway, so we went and I saw that little girl in the Minie costume and she was so cute!! I had to take a picture and show you! I hope it works. There is many cute Filipino young ones here.
So, nothing too exciting happened this week. The language is still a pain. And people don't look at me in the eyes when I teach, or even just talk, because they are shy, very shy, and that is actually really bother to me. I don't know why. But they look at my comp, and answer my questions to him. Ha fun again. Oh one different thing here, is that Halloween is on November 1 not October 31, so Halloween is tommorrow? Ha and Instead of trick or treating they go to their families graves, which aren't under the ground they are above ground in these cement box things, and then they paint their families graves. Ha a little different.
So I hope you are all doing well. And wow, the twins are going to be 21 soon! They are so old! Ha I hope they are doing good. They seem good from their e-mails.
So mom and Jess, I love you guys, sorry no way cool stories this week. But I am doing good, my health is doing alright, and I am pushing through everything. I know the lord is always with me, because he called me here, and now I am following his call, so as long as I continue to do my best, he will be there to make up what I can't do. I know he loves us all, and we are his children. I know that just having that knowledge is such a blessing! One of my favorite scriptures right now is in 2 Nephi I think verse 22 verse 2, It says, something like this, "The lord has been my support, and my song, I will trust in him and not fear. He has also become my salvation.." something along those lines. but I like that scripture, it gives peace to me, and I know that if I don't fear, and just do as he asks, and continue to trust in him, he will always continue to support me and lift me. I know this is true, and am so happy to share it with you.
I love you both, and hope you are happy. As well as the rest of you, my family! You are all great and your prayers are felt, thank you!
Love your son, and brother.
Elder Benjamin Lamoreaux Larson
PS. the picture of the ship I thought Matt and Ashton would like, a member in our ward made it with his own hands. I think using only his hands, and tools of course ha. but I tought it was way cool. Love you again. Oh the other picture is of me eating sugar cane. I was a survice project. It's like a stick and you peel it, then you take a bite out of the wood like it a string cheese, and just munch, you cant swallow.
Happy Halloween
My Friends and Family,
This week was a good week with a lot of new changes and things happening. I got transferred to Tampa 4 again and you will never guess who the lord put me with. My new companion is Elder Larson. I thought, of all the other missionaries in the mission you had to put me with some one with the same last name. It has been very interesting talking to people and telling them our names. They just look again and ask if we are brothers or something like that. I hope we don't give the impression that we are from a polygamist family or something like that. So we are going to talk to president to see what he thinks we should do. Other than that elder Ryan Larson is very awesome to be with. He is from Spokane, Washington, he has been out for 14 months, he is a music gunky and it is killing him to not listen to all his favorite music. He is so talented with the piano and for the opening song for our comp. study he plays his Ukulele. One of the things that we are going to do is find out if we are related somehow.
The trip up from bonita was really fun, I got to talk with some of my favorite missionaries Elder Berry and Sister O'Neil. When we got to Tampa Elder Larson was there with the spanish elders to pick me and other elders up. So we squished into a spanish members little truck and went to their apartment to get our car. It was about 9:30 pm by this time and I was so ready for bed by that time but the night wasn't quite over for us. As I was loading my stuff into our car, a guynamed Tim came up to Elder Larson and I and asked us if we needed help. He was so drunk, slurring his words and almost tripping over himself. I just told him no thankyou and shook his hand. He almost missed my hand when he tried to shake and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. But that wasn't the end of tim. he got to talking with the Spanish elders and he ended up giving them one of his couches for free. now I can say that I took a couch from a drunk guy, He probably is going to wake up in the morning wondering who the heck stole his couch. What a funny time. After that we were about to leave so Elder larson went to shut the trunk and as he did the bike rack wasn't on all the way so when he did it shattered the back windshield. All I could do was laugh it was so random and funny. We ended up getting a ride with the spanish member home.
In this area things have been slow. we have had to work super hard to get things started in this area. During one of our tracting sessions we knocked into two high school girls, Jennesa and Alexus. At first they shut us down telling us that they weren't that interested. So it came to mind that i should give them a pamphlet so I did and out of nowhere I began to teach about prophets and the gospel in our day. They became so interested they sat down on the floor inside while we sat on their door step. It was an amazing and wonderful experience. We are working on teaching them more. We have found 4 more people were interested in learning more.
We had a Halloween trunk or treat party in the ward and a lot of people remembered me from before. It was so nice to be able to talk with this ward again. I think that this ward had a hard time with the previous missionaries from what I have seen and from what Elder Larson has told me. But I think that we have already gained a l lot of the trust back just in this first week. I am very excited for this next week and I hope that we can really start the fire for missionary work in this area/ ward.
I hope that everyone is doing well. Have a happy Halloween. I love you all.
--
[Elder Spencer Larson]
This week was a good week with a lot of new changes and things happening. I got transferred to Tampa 4 again and you will never guess who the lord put me with. My new companion is Elder Larson. I thought, of all the other missionaries in the mission you had to put me with some one with the same last name. It has been very interesting talking to people and telling them our names. They just look again and ask if we are brothers or something like that. I hope we don't give the impression that we are from a polygamist family or something like that. So we are going to talk to president to see what he thinks we should do. Other than that elder Ryan Larson is very awesome to be with. He is from Spokane, Washington, he has been out for 14 months, he is a music gunky and it is killing him to not listen to all his favorite music. He is so talented with the piano and for the opening song for our comp. study he plays his Ukulele. One of the things that we are going to do is find out if we are related somehow.
The trip up from bonita was really fun, I got to talk with some of my favorite missionaries Elder Berry and Sister O'Neil. When we got to Tampa Elder Larson was there with the spanish elders to pick me and other elders up. So we squished into a spanish members little truck and went to their apartment to get our car. It was about 9:30 pm by this time and I was so ready for bed by that time but the night wasn't quite over for us. As I was loading my stuff into our car, a guynamed Tim came up to Elder Larson and I and asked us if we needed help. He was so drunk, slurring his words and almost tripping over himself. I just told him no thankyou and shook his hand. He almost missed my hand when he tried to shake and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. But that wasn't the end of tim. he got to talking with the Spanish elders and he ended up giving them one of his couches for free. now I can say that I took a couch from a drunk guy, He probably is going to wake up in the morning wondering who the heck stole his couch. What a funny time. After that we were about to leave so Elder larson went to shut the trunk and as he did the bike rack wasn't on all the way so when he did it shattered the back windshield. All I could do was laugh it was so random and funny. We ended up getting a ride with the spanish member home.
In this area things have been slow. we have had to work super hard to get things started in this area. During one of our tracting sessions we knocked into two high school girls, Jennesa and Alexus. At first they shut us down telling us that they weren't that interested. So it came to mind that i should give them a pamphlet so I did and out of nowhere I began to teach about prophets and the gospel in our day. They became so interested they sat down on the floor inside while we sat on their door step. It was an amazing and wonderful experience. We are working on teaching them more. We have found 4 more people were interested in learning more.
We had a Halloween trunk or treat party in the ward and a lot of people remembered me from before. It was so nice to be able to talk with this ward again. I think that this ward had a hard time with the previous missionaries from what I have seen and from what Elder Larson has told me. But I think that we have already gained a l lot of the trust back just in this first week. I am very excited for this next week and I hope that we can really start the fire for missionary work in this area/ ward.
I hope that everyone is doing well. Have a happy Halloween. I love you all.
--
[Elder Spencer Larson]
We are teaching lots of people
Hello everybody,
We are teaching some people, thay are Debora(24), Arlindo(about40), Jadson(33),and Manoel(about37). Debora is a lady that we taught one time, we talked about how GOD´S church was restored on the earth by a prophet, Joseph Smith and invited her to be baptized on the 19th of november, but sence that day we haven´t been able to talk to her because she wasn´t home.
Arlindo is live with a member(Andrea), they live as husband and wife but they aren´t married. He goes to church and I believe that he wants to get baptized but he´s not married. Arlindo and Andrea are going to get married on the 10th of Dezember so we are going to help him get baptized on the 11th. He´s a cool guy but sometimes he is really shy, we are going to teach him everything again and help him understand because sometimes he has a hard time understanding.
Jadson has a girlfriend(Cristiane) who is a member and he has been going to church for 6 months. We started teaching him 2 weeks ago, we taught about the restoration but we can only teach him on saterday or sunday because he gets home late durring the week. Jadson started reading the Book Of Mormon yesterday and he hasen´t prayed to ask if it is ture yet, but I am sure that when he asks he´ll get a response. Cristiane is also helping him so it should be easyer for him.
Manoel, we taught him the restoration and he´s reading the BoM but he don´t want to got baptized yet, but we´ll work with him.
Just to let you all know I´m doing fine, my health is also good. This week was a prity good one. On thursday we had a meeting with Elder Claudio R. M. Costa(who was or is in the 1st presidency of the 70 and now Area president of Brazil), he is brasilan and very funny he told us a lot of storys and miricals that he has seen in his life, really cool!
I know that the lord loves us and wants us to be happy. Elder Costa said "The perpose to the Criation, The FALL, Atonment, and The Restoration is to make it possiable so that our Familys can be together forever"!
Have a good week.
Elder Stephen Larson
We are teaching some people, thay are Debora(24), Arlindo(about40), Jadson(33),and Manoel(about37). Debora is a lady that we taught one time, we talked about how GOD´S church was restored on the earth by a prophet, Joseph Smith and invited her to be baptized on the 19th of november, but sence that day we haven´t been able to talk to her because she wasn´t home.
Arlindo is live with a member(Andrea), they live as husband and wife but they aren´t married. He goes to church and I believe that he wants to get baptized but he´s not married. Arlindo and Andrea are going to get married on the 10th of Dezember so we are going to help him get baptized on the 11th. He´s a cool guy but sometimes he is really shy, we are going to teach him everything again and help him understand because sometimes he has a hard time understanding.
Jadson has a girlfriend(Cristiane) who is a member and he has been going to church for 6 months. We started teaching him 2 weeks ago, we taught about the restoration but we can only teach him on saterday or sunday because he gets home late durring the week. Jadson started reading the Book Of Mormon yesterday and he hasen´t prayed to ask if it is ture yet, but I am sure that when he asks he´ll get a response. Cristiane is also helping him so it should be easyer for him.
Manoel, we taught him the restoration and he´s reading the BoM but he don´t want to got baptized yet, but we´ll work with him.
Just to let you all know I´m doing fine, my health is also good. This week was a prity good one. On thursday we had a meeting with Elder Claudio R. M. Costa(who was or is in the 1st presidency of the 70 and now Area president of Brazil), he is brasilan and very funny he told us a lot of storys and miricals that he has seen in his life, really cool!
I know that the lord loves us and wants us to be happy. Elder Costa said "The perpose to the Criation, The FALL, Atonment, and The Restoration is to make it possiable so that our Familys can be together forever"!
Have a good week.
Elder Stephen Larson
This week was a good week!
Hey everybody,
I loved ben´s photos, he looks so wierd as a missionary. It looks like he is still being him-self, funny and goofy. ha
This week was a good week. My comp elder Barbosa doesn´t talk very much during the lessons, or I just talk too much. I like to conversate with everybody about whatever. The computers that I have been using haven´t been letting me send pictures but I love you all.
Have a good week. I know god loves us.
Elder stephen larson
I loved ben´s photos, he looks so wierd as a missionary. It looks like he is still being him-self, funny and goofy. ha
This week was a good week. My comp elder Barbosa doesn´t talk very much during the lessons, or I just talk too much. I like to conversate with everybody about whatever. The computers that I have been using haven´t been letting me send pictures but I love you all.
Have a good week. I know god loves us.
Elder stephen larson
Father why did you curse me with such a fase of handsome and awesomeness!
Hey dad and kris and kids!
I am doing good here, i hope you are good too!! I love you all!!!! And miss you! Anni are you excited about your birthday!?? It's coming up soon! wow I can't believe you are going to be 11 !!! SO big. You too Davo, you are getting so good at sports, you are going to be able to beat me at soccer when I get back!
SO this week, Nanay at Tatay Edano were baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally. They have been waiting so long, they were first taught in december of last year, wow, and They were so happy to be baptized. Ha the thing is, is that at the baptism, all the baptismal clothes for the investigators were too small for Tatay, Ha we gave him the biggest one but he still had a huge wedgie, basically you could see his butt crack from 50 yards away, ha he was ok with it, and just walked around like it was nothing, he is so funny! I was able to baptize him, and my comp. Elder Samson baptized, Nanay. Ha except he had to do it four times!! Because he said, she was heavy, but truly, elder Samson is kinda small. ha Man I wish I had pictures but this computer won't let me send them, Sayong, (waste!) ha But they were baptized and so happy to be baptized. I think Nanay was crying after she came out of the waters.
So this week.............. Oh yes of course, drunk man story of the week, so yesterday, we were on our way to see a family of investigators, and they are great, just so you know, the Digamon, Family. Anyways, so on our way, we passed a group of people, and one Tatay, was drunk! Ha He wanted to shake my hand so I shook his hand like a good little missionary. then we went to our appointment, but wait, ok, it gets better. After our appointment, we again exited the home and passed by the group again, the Tatay that was drunk, again came to me and shook my had, but as I turned to leave him, he wouldn't let me go. then he said to me, " Friend I want to kiss you" 'What the Junk!' I thought! So I just said, "Ayos lang po tay" (no thanks tatay,) But he persisted, " Oh friend, it's ok. Friends Kiss on cheeks." I don't know what kind of friends he has, kissin his cheeks and all, but My cheeks are for my future Wife! I just said again, no thanks, but then he tried pulling me down to his level. This story sound familiar yet? Yup, just like that old Nanay grandma person who wanted to kiss my cheeks. So I just straitened up and he couldn't reach! Hah hah I'm taller than you Tatay's and Nanay's that want to kiss me! Ha I don't understand, Grandma's wanting to kiss me is one thing, but saggy old drunk men, what's that all about!? I must be too handsome for my own good. "why father, why did you curse me with such a face of Handsome and awesomeness!" Ha just kidding. no but really, people are very affectionate here. It's fun! If your the one watching your companion getting smuthered to death by old people's puckered lips trying to touch your face.
Yup, so now serious. Life is good. We had temple trip today, so that's why P-day is on Tuesday instead of Monday. It was great. I got to thinking while I was in the temple. Before this life, when we were in heaven, we all excepted the lord's plan, but did we know where we were going? Did we have any Idea or choice? I think not, I think of it like a mission call, you accept the call to go, and then you take a leap of faith and go where the lord wants you to go. Then I realized, we, You, my family, have been so blessed!! Just to be born in America, holy cow I am sorry family, but this is true. YOU ARE BLESSED!! AS AM I! Therefore, we need to Make the best of our blessings and GIVE to those WHO HAVE NONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Man I feel like I am ripping off the Filipino people being an American. I really feel like we have so many blessings, and when we reject our fellow men, or reject the opportunity to serve, we are being selfish, and should help everyone!! For me, before my mission, I didn't like doing service, especially, if it made me sweat. But really, god has given us a law, and commandment called, the law of Concecration! It means we put the lord and his way before us, we serve him before ourselves. It says in the BOM, "and when ye are in the service of your fellow being, you are in the service of your god" don't know where it is in B o M but it's in there. This means that if we are commanded to serve god, or do as he asks, we are commanded too to serve our fellow beings, our brothers and our sisters.! Think about how you would feel, if after you die, you go to heaven and a person that looks familiar comes up to you, and with Tears in her/ his eyes, says, " I needed help. Why didn't you give it?" K so maybe thats not such a great example but it makes sense to me so just humor me, ha. If you were having a hard day, really hard day, you would want help, god sometimes gives his children help through others. and sometimes, he chooses us, YOU, as those 'OTHERS' to help those in need. Elder Bednar said, "It is such a blessing to be trusted of the Lord, to HELP one of his children!" Don't let god down, US all!!!!! Lets Help our fellow persons who are less fortunate and more fortunate too. If anyone needs help, I encourage you all to sacrifice your time, which is precious to you, and God, and serve your Brothers and sisters.
So that's pretty much all, I hope you understood it all! I love you dad, and thankyou for all your support and prayers, and letters and stuff. And kris, you too, you make a difference in my mission. Ha oh P.S I haven't gotten the package yet. I guess it takes a while, sorry.
Anni and David, You are so great! I love you both to death!! and think about you a lot! You two are great examples and missionaries to all of your friends! I look up to you guys so much! Thankyou!
Love your son and Brother,
Elder Benjamin Larson
I am doing good here, i hope you are good too!! I love you all!!!! And miss you! Anni are you excited about your birthday!?? It's coming up soon! wow I can't believe you are going to be 11 !!! SO big. You too Davo, you are getting so good at sports, you are going to be able to beat me at soccer when I get back!
SO this week, Nanay at Tatay Edano were baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally. They have been waiting so long, they were first taught in december of last year, wow, and They were so happy to be baptized. Ha the thing is, is that at the baptism, all the baptismal clothes for the investigators were too small for Tatay, Ha we gave him the biggest one but he still had a huge wedgie, basically you could see his butt crack from 50 yards away, ha he was ok with it, and just walked around like it was nothing, he is so funny! I was able to baptize him, and my comp. Elder Samson baptized, Nanay. Ha except he had to do it four times!! Because he said, she was heavy, but truly, elder Samson is kinda small. ha Man I wish I had pictures but this computer won't let me send them, Sayong, (waste!) ha But they were baptized and so happy to be baptized. I think Nanay was crying after she came out of the waters.
So this week.............. Oh yes of course, drunk man story of the week, so yesterday, we were on our way to see a family of investigators, and they are great, just so you know, the Digamon, Family. Anyways, so on our way, we passed a group of people, and one Tatay, was drunk! Ha He wanted to shake my hand so I shook his hand like a good little missionary. then we went to our appointment, but wait, ok, it gets better. After our appointment, we again exited the home and passed by the group again, the Tatay that was drunk, again came to me and shook my had, but as I turned to leave him, he wouldn't let me go. then he said to me, " Friend I want to kiss you" 'What the Junk!' I thought! So I just said, "Ayos lang po tay" (no thanks tatay,) But he persisted, " Oh friend, it's ok. Friends Kiss on cheeks." I don't know what kind of friends he has, kissin his cheeks and all, but My cheeks are for my future Wife! I just said again, no thanks, but then he tried pulling me down to his level. This story sound familiar yet? Yup, just like that old Nanay grandma person who wanted to kiss my cheeks. So I just straitened up and he couldn't reach! Hah hah I'm taller than you Tatay's and Nanay's that want to kiss me! Ha I don't understand, Grandma's wanting to kiss me is one thing, but saggy old drunk men, what's that all about!? I must be too handsome for my own good. "why father, why did you curse me with such a face of Handsome and awesomeness!" Ha just kidding. no but really, people are very affectionate here. It's fun! If your the one watching your companion getting smuthered to death by old people's puckered lips trying to touch your face.
Yup, so now serious. Life is good. We had temple trip today, so that's why P-day is on Tuesday instead of Monday. It was great. I got to thinking while I was in the temple. Before this life, when we were in heaven, we all excepted the lord's plan, but did we know where we were going? Did we have any Idea or choice? I think not, I think of it like a mission call, you accept the call to go, and then you take a leap of faith and go where the lord wants you to go. Then I realized, we, You, my family, have been so blessed!! Just to be born in America, holy cow I am sorry family, but this is true. YOU ARE BLESSED!! AS AM I! Therefore, we need to Make the best of our blessings and GIVE to those WHO HAVE NONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Man I feel like I am ripping off the Filipino people being an American. I really feel like we have so many blessings, and when we reject our fellow men, or reject the opportunity to serve, we are being selfish, and should help everyone!! For me, before my mission, I didn't like doing service, especially, if it made me sweat. But really, god has given us a law, and commandment called, the law of Concecration! It means we put the lord and his way before us, we serve him before ourselves. It says in the BOM, "and when ye are in the service of your fellow being, you are in the service of your god" don't know where it is in B o M but it's in there. This means that if we are commanded to serve god, or do as he asks, we are commanded too to serve our fellow beings, our brothers and our sisters.! Think about how you would feel, if after you die, you go to heaven and a person that looks familiar comes up to you, and with Tears in her/ his eyes, says, " I needed help. Why didn't you give it?" K so maybe thats not such a great example but it makes sense to me so just humor me, ha. If you were having a hard day, really hard day, you would want help, god sometimes gives his children help through others. and sometimes, he chooses us, YOU, as those 'OTHERS' to help those in need. Elder Bednar said, "It is such a blessing to be trusted of the Lord, to HELP one of his children!" Don't let god down, US all!!!!! Lets Help our fellow persons who are less fortunate and more fortunate too. If anyone needs help, I encourage you all to sacrifice your time, which is precious to you, and God, and serve your Brothers and sisters.
So that's pretty much all, I hope you understood it all! I love you dad, and thankyou for all your support and prayers, and letters and stuff. And kris, you too, you make a difference in my mission. Ha oh P.S I haven't gotten the package yet. I guess it takes a while, sorry.
Anni and David, You are so great! I love you both to death!! and think about you a lot! You two are great examples and missionaries to all of your friends! I look up to you guys so much! Thankyou!
Love your son and Brother,
Elder Benjamin Larson
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