Monday, August 22, 2011
I'm finaly in the Phillippines!!
Hey mom!!!
So I made it here OK, I don't know if the pres e-mailed you or not, so I hope your not worried, we made it without any problem at all. except that when we stepped off the plane it was SO HOT, and I felt like it just gets hotter, but I know its just hot and constant hot. Ha it is weird in the humidity, it is so humid!! And the hairs on my legs and arms I feel like are curling, and then I have a few hairs on my front head that are curling a little, but they are really short so I think that might be part of it. But yeah so to get to the point, It is HOTTER than anything I have ever felt! I am always sticky/ sweaty. but it's OK, because I am enjoying it here and I am adjusting.
The people here always stare at me, because there are never Americans here, so they all think it is cool to see me, but it really isn't. The transportation here is cool, Jeep-Nees are really cool, they look like old school war jeeps, except they are really long like a small limo and they are all painted cool. also there are Trikes, which are motor cycles with a side car, also taxi's but those aren't that cool.
It is good here, my companion is elder Samson, he is a native, and I am blessed a lot to have him! He helps me a lot with the language, and the culture stuff and makes sure I am safe all the time! Ha he always tells people, " May tanong po siya" which means, He has a question for me, and then he taught me to ask, " Guwapo ba ako?" which means am I handsome? Ha it is funny. Then everyone laughs and he says, " Pero, Mas guwapong ako." which is but I am more handsome. haha he is very funny! and it is really important to him to be guwapo, ha I always tell him he is.
I don't understand very much of Tagalog, but I am trying. And I learn at least one thing everyday, probably more, but I don't realize it! So my P-day is on Monday, but Sunday for you, ha, I think. just so you know. and i can't find my cord for my camera to put pictures on the e-mail so I will find it and send it next week. sorry.
It has rained quite a bit, not too bad though. On Friday I think it was, it rained up to past my ankle, so a lot. But I guess last year or a few months ago, it rained up to the roof, so higher than people, and some people died, so it is sad, and a lot was destroyed but the people help eachother and are happy still.
It is so crazy here, because there is nothing, people live out of their homes, they sell food and stuff, and then they live in there store/homes. There houses are made of cement or just dirt floor, and then sheet metal for the roof, and then whatever wood they can get or whatever else they can get for the rest. but they are good builders so they know what they are doing. It is so crazy, we have so much at our home in Utah, so much and I feel like I have taken it all for granted. we see on commercials there, about kids in Africa who have nothing or other third world countries who have nothing, and I just kind of brushed it off, but now i am in a third world country, and so many people have close to nothing!! But the great thing is, they are still so happy!!! I don't know that i have seen a happier people! And they love basketball by the way so that is cool too.
There are some rich places here though, the first councilor in the bishopric here is pretty rich and he lives in a great neighborhood, only if you have a special access can you get in the neighborhood, or if someone inside invites you.
So something cool that happened, this week was me and elder samson were visiting people in the ward and some new or less active members and some investigators. one investigator, Jomel, he is 17, we visited him and gave a lesson and talked about his baptism, which is this Saturday, and talked to him about the interviews and stuff that needed to happen on Sunday, yesterday, and stuff then my companion who speaks Tagalog because he is native, asked who he wanted to baptize him, and he said ME! I was way surprised, I hope it's not because I am American, because I think that's dumb, but I am excited to do it. So I will send you some pictures later.
My companion says I am a miracle to these people and to the ward because I am American and now people will listen more and come to church more, but one thing I think he and they don't realize, is that that's not enough! It can't just be me! They need the spirit they need god and Jesus Christ and his atonement. I hope I can help the people realize that I am nobody, but who they really need is Christ and the holy ghost, and they need this gospel so they can have fullness!!
Yeah so that is my life here. OH also, I had Balut, the duck egg. It was pretty good, basically, it's a baby duck that didn't hatch, so when you crack it open, you are staring at a baby duck. ha it was so weird to look at and know what it was, but then I ate it and it was actually pretty good. It kinda tasted like a boiled egg. only a little different. plus i think there was a feather in it, ha but it was good, and they all said, it will make me Malakas, (strong) ha. there are four of us in our apartment, two are Filipino and one is Hawaiian, but everyone here thinks he is Filipino haha,
I am doing good here so don't worry, I am healthy and strong and I don't even have jet lag, really, I am tired at the end of the day, but i think its just cause we are working so hard, so I take that as a good sign of success!! The language is the biggest thing right now, although I am surprised that a lot of people understand some English, but they still speak Tagalog daily they are more comfortable with it, and I try to speak it back as best I can, and I think for the most part they understand me! I bore my testimony on Sunday because i am the new missionary in the area, so every new area i will have to bare my testimony, In Tagalog, which i did yesterday, but it was like a child's testimony, but that's OK cause i am learning.
I love you so much!!! And I want you to know that I am doing well and I will be OK, My companion is native and knows where to go to buy good clean food, and we keep eachother safe, so also the lord is watching us, we are his missionaries, and as long as we do our job and meet his standards, than he will help us and protect us!
I love you so so so much! I want you to know that!
And Jess I want you to know that I look up to you too, and I am so blessed to have you in my life and have you as my sister. Ha I show everyone your picture and everyone always says your so beautiful! You are so beautiful and so amazing, and I am bless to have you and your great example in my life! I think about you and mom a lot, but not too, much. I just tell everyone about you and they love hearing about you, my family at home!
I love you both, remember that always, and remember that the lord loves you, and you are his children no matter how old you get, or how lost you feel, whenever you feel lost or alone, remember that you are God's child, and he created you and sent you here, BECAUSE he love you!! And he is proud of you! HE has Faith in you, just like you have faith in him. I read that in a scripture a while back but i don't remember where it was, I think 1 cor 10 13 or something. Just know that you are loved!
I love and miss you both so much!!! Be good and safe, and know that I am doing the same!
Love you son and little Brother, Elder Benjamin L, Larson!!
little red nose
Hey everybody,
Jurandir is not progressing very much, he dosen´t listen to us, he just wants to talk to us about other stuff. Our last lesson with him was very stressful because he was head-butting everything we were saying.
This week we taught a lot of new people. Mário(45), is a guy we taught this week and on sunday he went to church by himself. Venessa(31) and Michele(35) are 2 sisters that are living together, they recived us very warmlly and they like to read, venessa has already read to 1nephi chapter 8.
On saterday we had an activity called ´´The Night of Laughts´´, everybody told jokes and laughted.
I know that god loves us. Have a good week everybody.
Elder stephen larson
Jurandir is not progressing very much, he dosen´t listen to us, he just wants to talk to us about other stuff. Our last lesson with him was very stressful because he was head-butting everything we were saying.
This week we taught a lot of new people. Mário(45), is a guy we taught this week and on sunday he went to church by himself. Venessa(31) and Michele(35) are 2 sisters that are living together, they recived us very warmlly and they like to read, venessa has already read to 1nephi chapter 8.
On saterday we had an activity called ´´The Night of Laughts´´, everybody told jokes and laughted.
I know that god loves us. Have a good week everybody.
Elder stephen larson
The three amigos
This week we got another missionary, his name is Elder Burton and he is from New Mexico. At first I thought that a tri-panionship would be hard but we all get along great and it is so much fun. Non the less our fun doesn't get in the way of our work, in fact we have been having great success in this week. Things didn't go exactly the way we planned and sometimes our plans fell through but president gave some good advice saying, " when an appointment falls through don't feel discouraged, instead look around for the person or the reason the lord sent to that area for. So we didn't get down and and we did it all week.
Scottie is looking better and better for his baptism this coming Saturday. He may not understand everything but I think that he will understand enough. We are also trying to figure out what is holding Big Scott from getting baptized. He is coming to church and reading and praying and we have been really searching for the answer. We were really happy when we went over and Big Scott told us some of his worries and concerns. He trusts us. I know there is something else but we will have to address that next time.
Margie is great and happy as ever, She got a visiting teaching assignment and she is just awesome.
All week we have been trying to find some new investigators and it is not happening. We followed up with some people but their spouse just told us to go away and they aren't really interested. I don't like it when that happens. On Saturday we helped some a family move out of there old house and into their new one. I was so drained after that not even pizza could wake me up. It stared to rain and we were in the middle of it and if you don't know Florida than you don't know rain.
Church on Sunday was great! Elder Burton, Elder Cook, and I sang a special musical number the hymn," I Believe in Christ". It was very nice, it brought a very tender spirit into the meeting. After church we went over to a guy named Joey who we have been tying to get a hold of for a while. He Finally was home and we were able to teach him and he is interested in finding what ever truth is out there. So that brought us some joy to finally find a someone.
We also had one other new investigator named Makayla. She came to church and is friends with the Clawsons. We are going to teach her this week at the Clawsons Huge Mansion next to the beach. There house could probably fit my house and 4 more. I am having a great time and I love this church and I know for a fact that it is the true church of Jesus Christ. I love you all. Take care.
[Elder Spencer Larson]
Scottie is looking better and better for his baptism this coming Saturday. He may not understand everything but I think that he will understand enough. We are also trying to figure out what is holding Big Scott from getting baptized. He is coming to church and reading and praying and we have been really searching for the answer. We were really happy when we went over and Big Scott told us some of his worries and concerns. He trusts us. I know there is something else but we will have to address that next time.
Margie is great and happy as ever, She got a visiting teaching assignment and she is just awesome.
All week we have been trying to find some new investigators and it is not happening. We followed up with some people but their spouse just told us to go away and they aren't really interested. I don't like it when that happens. On Saturday we helped some a family move out of there old house and into their new one. I was so drained after that not even pizza could wake me up. It stared to rain and we were in the middle of it and if you don't know Florida than you don't know rain.
Church on Sunday was great! Elder Burton, Elder Cook, and I sang a special musical number the hymn," I Believe in Christ". It was very nice, it brought a very tender spirit into the meeting. After church we went over to a guy named Joey who we have been tying to get a hold of for a while. He Finally was home and we were able to teach him and he is interested in finding what ever truth is out there. So that brought us some joy to finally find a someone.
We also had one other new investigator named Makayla. She came to church and is friends with the Clawsons. We are going to teach her this week at the Clawsons Huge Mansion next to the beach. There house could probably fit my house and 4 more. I am having a great time and I love this church and I know for a fact that it is the true church of Jesus Christ. I love you all. Take care.
[Elder Spencer Larson]
Friday, August 19, 2011
Something horrible happened
Hey everybody,
This last week we started with a Zone Conference which was very good meeting. Because Zone Conference was so long away from our area, we had to sleep over at the zone leaders house with 14 other missionary's it was crazy fun. And the same night we went to the center of the city and sang Hymns, all 14 missionary's it was way cool. But something happened before we started to sing that was horrible. So we were waiting for the other missionary's to arrive so we could start singing. We were sitting on these benches waiting, when a man that was Drunk came up to us, he started to talk and talk and talk to me, standing in front of me. He was swearing at me and saying other stuff that were hard to understand for about 8 minutes, but I didn´t say anything. Then when the rest of the elders arrived we got up to go to our spot and start singing. The drunk shook my hand and then grabbed me to give me hug, and then when he gave me a hug, he kissed me on the neck. When he did that I pushed him away and walked off with the other Missionary's that were laughing there heads off. I have never had something so horrible like this happen to me before in my life.
This last week we started with a Zone Conference which was very good meeting. Because Zone Conference was so long away from our area, we had to sleep over at the zone leaders house with 14 other missionary's it was crazy fun. And the same night we went to the center of the city and sang Hymns, all 14 missionary's it was way cool. But something happened before we started to sing that was horrible. So we were waiting for the other missionary's to arrive so we could start singing. We were sitting on these benches waiting, when a man that was Drunk came up to us, he started to talk and talk and talk to me, standing in front of me. He was swearing at me and saying other stuff that were hard to understand for about 8 minutes, but I didn´t say anything. Then when the rest of the elders arrived we got up to go to our spot and start singing. The drunk shook my hand and then grabbed me to give me hug, and then when he gave me a hug, he kissed me on the neck. When he did that I pushed him away and walked off with the other Missionary's that were laughing there heads off. I have never had something so horrible like this happen to me before in my life.
Elder Cook
Hey guys,
This week was a full week of good things happening. I am loving having Elder Cook as a Companion. He is from Cody, Wyoming, he is 6ft 4in and one thing that we have in common is that we both love music. He likes all the stuff I like, But we can't listen to all the good music that we want to. We would probably rock out and have too much fun. For now we will just have to keep rocking out to Mo Tab.
We visited a lot of members this week and they all fed us. So I think I am going to start gaining weight this transfer. We also had a Zone Conference at our church building in Bonita Springs. 4 zones came (which is a lot of missionaries) and Elder Cook and I had the opportunity to give a training about becoming Master Teachers. I was so nervous to have to speak and train 80 missionaries. In the end I loved it. We had a blast teaching them and sharing funny experiences when teaching someone and the qualifications to become a master teacher.
One thing that we have been struggling with is planning and having really full effective days. but we received more light on how to better plan and Since we started doing it this new way I have already seen a difference in our days. We have been following the promptings of the spirit more than just randomly filling up a space on a calender. Its a great difference. If you want to have a fulfilling day became a master Planner, that's where it all starts.
We have been trying to find a new investigator for a while with no success. So one day as we are down in Bonita we passed by a little festival that was going on. We parked somewhere and walked around to see if there was anyone willing to talk to us. People looked at us but they all seemed to shun us. ha! That's my life. So we left and as we were leaving a small, Hispanic man yelled out to us from a distance. We stopped to talk with him. His name is Edgar and he asked us if we were from the church. When we told him that we were, he told us that he saw us and wanted help. He said that he didn't want to drink anymore and he wanted to change his life. We testified to him that our message is what he is looking for and that it can and will change his life. We exchanged phone numbers and went our separate ways.
We have been teaching Little Scottie and it has been really hard to help him understand. But when we went over for dinner a couple days ago we used a cool example to teach him about sin and repentance. He understood it at first but than he got caught up in the example more than getting the meaning of it. Than as we taught about enduring to the end Margie brought up video games to help him understand. I than asked him," When you die in a video game or when it gets hard to you quit?" he said without hesitation,"NO, I can't give up till I finish and win." We all laughed and I thought that that was one of the best ways to describe enduring to the end.
We went over to the Vanegas's this week and we did some service for them. We raked their pine needles up and bagged them. One of the daughters got in an argument with her mom and it was not good. But everything happened to work out and we were able to get the mom to commit to read the Book of Mormon everyday. So that was a start.
Its great and I am pretty excited to see what we can accomplish this week with the help of the lord. Take care.
This week was a full week of good things happening. I am loving having Elder Cook as a Companion. He is from Cody, Wyoming, he is 6ft 4in and one thing that we have in common is that we both love music. He likes all the stuff I like, But we can't listen to all the good music that we want to. We would probably rock out and have too much fun. For now we will just have to keep rocking out to Mo Tab.
We visited a lot of members this week and they all fed us. So I think I am going to start gaining weight this transfer. We also had a Zone Conference at our church building in Bonita Springs. 4 zones came (which is a lot of missionaries) and Elder Cook and I had the opportunity to give a training about becoming Master Teachers. I was so nervous to have to speak and train 80 missionaries. In the end I loved it. We had a blast teaching them and sharing funny experiences when teaching someone and the qualifications to become a master teacher.
One thing that we have been struggling with is planning and having really full effective days. but we received more light on how to better plan and Since we started doing it this new way I have already seen a difference in our days. We have been following the promptings of the spirit more than just randomly filling up a space on a calender. Its a great difference. If you want to have a fulfilling day became a master Planner, that's where it all starts.
We have been trying to find a new investigator for a while with no success. So one day as we are down in Bonita we passed by a little festival that was going on. We parked somewhere and walked around to see if there was anyone willing to talk to us. People looked at us but they all seemed to shun us. ha! That's my life. So we left and as we were leaving a small, Hispanic man yelled out to us from a distance. We stopped to talk with him. His name is Edgar and he asked us if we were from the church. When we told him that we were, he told us that he saw us and wanted help. He said that he didn't want to drink anymore and he wanted to change his life. We testified to him that our message is what he is looking for and that it can and will change his life. We exchanged phone numbers and went our separate ways.
We have been teaching Little Scottie and it has been really hard to help him understand. But when we went over for dinner a couple days ago we used a cool example to teach him about sin and repentance. He understood it at first but than he got caught up in the example more than getting the meaning of it. Than as we taught about enduring to the end Margie brought up video games to help him understand. I than asked him," When you die in a video game or when it gets hard to you quit?" he said without hesitation,"NO, I can't give up till I finish and win." We all laughed and I thought that that was one of the best ways to describe enduring to the end.
We went over to the Vanegas's this week and we did some service for them. We raked their pine needles up and bagged them. One of the daughters got in an argument with her mom and it was not good. But everything happened to work out and we were able to get the mom to commit to read the Book of Mormon everyday. So that was a start.
Its great and I am pretty excited to see what we can accomplish this week with the help of the lord. Take care.
quilt
Hey mom,
Thankyou so much for the quilt!!!! It is amazing!!! I can't believ you made it! ha actually I can! So today is my P-day but they gave us time to e-mail yesterday too! So I figured I would e-mail you now and tell you thankyou so much!! I love my hug from home!!!!
Also thankyou for the flip flops they will be great!!! And also for the treats, it will be great to have them on the 16 hour flight!! ha So I just want to say I love you so much!!! And i am grateful for you so much! I guess they are doing this new program thing in the mission fields everywhere that they started this month, so when I get there, I will have my trainer for like 12 weeks as my companion I think they said, and hopefully that will be good. So this program is supposed to be able to help missionaries adjust to real mission work better, I feel good about it! But yeah they said that the goal is for this program that after the new missionaries are done with there 12 weeks they should be ready to train and be the senior companion!!! So that is kinda new and i doubt I will be ready for that, because of the language and stuff, but i hope i learn a lot quicker this way, and I hope my first compnaion is awesome!! ha no matter who he is though I am going to go into it like he is the greatest missionary in the field! Because he probably has to be to train me! haha,
Wow we leave in three days basically! I can't believe it! Ha so we leave on tuesday, the 16 and dont land in the philippines until thursday the 18, I think thats crazy, two days to travel there! Man I hope i am not jet lagged!
Well I will be sending you a box of some things i don't need, they are just some things i got here from people, that i don't need and they will take up room, also i am sending my first planner, it is all full and I thought it would be cool for you to see what i did here in the MTC! so I hope you enjoy those!!!
Well I love you so so PINAKA, (Very) much!!! give every one loves for me, the dogs and all the kids!! Tell them I am doing good and am excited to leave for the field!! Pray for me that I can learn quick to and not be over whelmed! Ha ha, I love you mom, and i love you Jess!!
Love
Elder Benjamin L. Larson
Thankyou so much for the quilt!!!! It is amazing!!! I can't believ you made it! ha actually I can! So today is my P-day but they gave us time to e-mail yesterday too! So I figured I would e-mail you now and tell you thankyou so much!! I love my hug from home!!!!
Also thankyou for the flip flops they will be great!!! And also for the treats, it will be great to have them on the 16 hour flight!! ha So I just want to say I love you so much!!! And i am grateful for you so much! I guess they are doing this new program thing in the mission fields everywhere that they started this month, so when I get there, I will have my trainer for like 12 weeks as my companion I think they said, and hopefully that will be good. So this program is supposed to be able to help missionaries adjust to real mission work better, I feel good about it! But yeah they said that the goal is for this program that after the new missionaries are done with there 12 weeks they should be ready to train and be the senior companion!!! So that is kinda new and i doubt I will be ready for that, because of the language and stuff, but i hope i learn a lot quicker this way, and I hope my first compnaion is awesome!! ha no matter who he is though I am going to go into it like he is the greatest missionary in the field! Because he probably has to be to train me! haha,
Wow we leave in three days basically! I can't believe it! Ha so we leave on tuesday, the 16 and dont land in the philippines until thursday the 18, I think thats crazy, two days to travel there! Man I hope i am not jet lagged!
Well I will be sending you a box of some things i don't need, they are just some things i got here from people, that i don't need and they will take up room, also i am sending my first planner, it is all full and I thought it would be cool for you to see what i did here in the MTC! so I hope you enjoy those!!!
Well I love you so so PINAKA, (Very) much!!! give every one loves for me, the dogs and all the kids!! Tell them I am doing good and am excited to leave for the field!! Pray for me that I can learn quick to and not be over whelmed! Ha ha, I love you mom, and i love you Jess!!
Love
Elder Benjamin L. Larson
Monday, August 8, 2011
Boa Samana
Hey everybody,
Junior(15) is going to get baptized this week. He has been waitting for 6 months for his perants to let him get baptized. But after a lot of hard work the lord has blessed us with a soul to baptize. Its funny how the lord works, we thought that junior would have to wait untill he turned 18 to get baptized, but god softened the hearts of the perants. And maybe there next to get baptized, why not.
I doing good and healthy, and I hope you all have a good week, and that Ben has a good safe flight. love you all. Boa Samana!!!
elder Stephen Larson
Junior(15) is going to get baptized this week. He has been waitting for 6 months for his perants to let him get baptized. But after a lot of hard work the lord has blessed us with a soul to baptize. Its funny how the lord works, we thought that junior would have to wait untill he turned 18 to get baptized, but god softened the hearts of the perants. And maybe there next to get baptized, why not.
I doing good and healthy, and I hope you all have a good week, and that Ben has a good safe flight. love you all. Boa Samana!!!
elder Stephen Larson
The Rays
There have been some good experiences that I had this week. Elder Cook is here and I am having a blast with him as we go and do this missionary work. It has been hard because we don't have as many people to teach but we have been working on it. One day our appiontments fell through and we had run out of things to do, and we had a bad experience the previous day with a lady calling us "The Anti-Christ". We love her still. So Elder Cook thought it would be a good Idea to go to the local stores that are busy and try to find someone that way. It was a different idea so we did it. we walked around and talked with a couple people and that was it. It seemed that we didn't accomplish much. But the next day we were at another store buying drinks and chips for a dinner appointment and a random girl next to us said that she knew us. I didn't know who she was but then I remembered at the store I waved at her as we left. We talked with her a bit and she said that she would like to be taught.
Another cool experience that happened this week was at the Lopez's house. They are a very less-active family. I have gone over there in the past and nothing good has ever happened that I could see, but as we went over we got to teach Bro. lopez's wife and she was very open to the spirit. We are so excited to be able to see the hope in her eyes as we taught her. She is going to read and pray and eventually we are going to get her and her whole family back to church.
At the Tropicana Feild there was a base ball game giong on, the Rays vs Oakland. And the cool thing was that it was Mormon night. So all the missionaries who were up north were able to go. And we in the south were left out. But Elder Cook and I had a brilliant plan to ask president if we could watch it on tv with a less active family we were working with. He at first was against it but than he said it was Ok. We had a great time with that family, had some good discussions some of them about the gospel and our church. It was a great opportunity.
Margie's son Scottie is the next one who is going to get baptized. We taught him the 1st lesson the best we could and set a date with him for the 27th.
Hope you all have an excellent time this week.
Elder Spencer Larson
Another cool experience that happened this week was at the Lopez's house. They are a very less-active family. I have gone over there in the past and nothing good has ever happened that I could see, but as we went over we got to teach Bro. lopez's wife and she was very open to the spirit. We are so excited to be able to see the hope in her eyes as we taught her. She is going to read and pray and eventually we are going to get her and her whole family back to church.
At the Tropicana Feild there was a base ball game giong on, the Rays vs Oakland. And the cool thing was that it was Mormon night. So all the missionaries who were up north were able to go. And we in the south were left out. But Elder Cook and I had a brilliant plan to ask president if we could watch it on tv with a less active family we were working with. He at first was against it but than he said it was Ok. We had a great time with that family, had some good discussions some of them about the gospel and our church. It was a great opportunity.
Margie's son Scottie is the next one who is going to get baptized. We taught him the 1st lesson the best we could and set a date with him for the 27th.
Hope you all have an excellent time this week.
Elder Spencer Larson
I fly to the Philippines on the 16th
Hey mom!!
Yes only 1 1/2 weeks to go! I am excited but a little nervous at the same time!!!!! Man I hope I can learn the language really quick when we get out there.
so an elder in my district, my good friend Elder Gallacher has a hernia we found out yesterday, so he probably won't be able to come with us, cause he needs surgery of course, but it would be appreciated if you could remember him in your prayers. HE really needs it! Hopefully they will get it fixed quick and he will heal quick and will be able to come with us, but if not then its ok cause he needs to be ok berfore he leaves here.
So I don't know if you are still doing the quilt or not, but it will probably be really expensive to send for you and recieve for me if you send it to the phillippines. I here it costs a lot to pick up packages, so just so you know I think it would be better to send to the MTC, while i am here haha. also its not very important but my flip flops were broken here because some kid, oh elder, thought it would be funny to step on them while i was walking. But yeah they broke so if you could maybe find some just cheap ones at like old navy or walmart and send them with the quilt or whatever that would be nice.
so this week has been good. we have been teaching a lot more, like three investigators instead of one. and we only teach in tagalog, it has helped a lot, but I the language is still hard. I have faith in the lord though, that he will help me when I leave for the philippines, I know he will give me the things I need to help me grow the most. And i will do my best to take them and have a good attittude about them, liek the dandilion and the prison. ha i will have hope like a dandilion.
I hope you and jess are happy and good! I am excited to get to talk to you when i leave on the 16 of august. which reminds me, so I have a lay over in california, about a 4 hour lay over, so i will probably try to call you then. we land at 9:30, but it might be like 8:30 or 10;30 when I call, so I will call at one of those times, so just stay by the phone i guess, or which phone should I call, our home or your cell, just let me know cause I have one more P-day before I leave, it will be on saturday though i think, so just let me know which phone to call, and I will. I love you so much!!!! And I want you to know that i am as ready as i can be to go to the philippines, I will do my best to serve the people there and server the lord, and i hope it will be enough!!
Remember how much I love you both, and I hope you guys are happy!!! I hope jess has fun in New York!!! It soudns so fun!!!! I wish I could come but it is ok cause i am excited to leave to the philippines!!!!
I love you mom, and i miss becket and pako actually haha. stay busy and happy.
Love you son, and Brother
Elder Benjamin L. Larson
P.S the flight to hong kong is like 16 hours ha just a fun fact haha. love you
Lunch with Bishop Belnap
hey guys,
There has been a lot of good stuff this week. Margie was baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. She was so happy that she hugged me after I baptized her. It was a very special moment to be able to do that. Margie is a bigger lady so I was kind of nervous, I even had a dream the night before that I couldn't get her up and out of the water. But it was really easy. Her husband Scott was able to come and see her get baptized and it was a miracle. So Scott is a man of his word and a couple weeks earlier he promised a lady across the street that he would help her move on that same Saturday of the Baptism. It was not good. Margie was angry at Scott and he was unsure of what to do. So we stepped in and the morning of the baptism we helped him move this lady out of her cat infested house. The baptism was at 10am and we started loading the truck at 9am. We moved quickly and effectively to get it done. Elder Gordon was packing the lady's stuff neatly in the truck while Scott and I hauled it out of the house. We were done in 35 minutes. What a miracle. Now, ever since Scott saw his wife baptized he has acted a little differently. He even joked with us after church about baptism, " so hows that water right now?" I joked back and said," We can fill it up right now if you want." He will get baptized a long with his son.
Earlier in the week we played basket ball with the rest of the Elders in the Elders Quorum. It was so much fun and even Scott came and played. We have a carpet court and it was cleaned that same day so it was all slippery. And still we all insisted on playing. Luckily nobody got hurt.
On Wednesday my bishop in my home ward, Bishop Belnap came to visit me and take me and Elder Gordon out to lunch. We went to The California Pizza Kitchen. It was very good and we got to catch up on alot of things with him and stuff that is happening at home. Thank you for the package mom.
Transfer calls were this Saturday and I found out that Elder Gordon is leaving me here in Bonita Springs to go to New Tampa up north. He wasn't so excited but I think he will like it as he starts working with the people there. I am going to get another Elder Cook who is from Cody, Wyoming. I will have to ask him if he knows anything or anybody in Casper. I love this work and I am so thankful that the Lord has saw fit to call me to do his work. Everybody have a good week.
Elder Spencer Larson
There has been a lot of good stuff this week. Margie was baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. She was so happy that she hugged me after I baptized her. It was a very special moment to be able to do that. Margie is a bigger lady so I was kind of nervous, I even had a dream the night before that I couldn't get her up and out of the water. But it was really easy. Her husband Scott was able to come and see her get baptized and it was a miracle. So Scott is a man of his word and a couple weeks earlier he promised a lady across the street that he would help her move on that same Saturday of the Baptism. It was not good. Margie was angry at Scott and he was unsure of what to do. So we stepped in and the morning of the baptism we helped him move this lady out of her cat infested house. The baptism was at 10am and we started loading the truck at 9am. We moved quickly and effectively to get it done. Elder Gordon was packing the lady's stuff neatly in the truck while Scott and I hauled it out of the house. We were done in 35 minutes. What a miracle. Now, ever since Scott saw his wife baptized he has acted a little differently. He even joked with us after church about baptism, " so hows that water right now?" I joked back and said," We can fill it up right now if you want." He will get baptized a long with his son.
Earlier in the week we played basket ball with the rest of the Elders in the Elders Quorum. It was so much fun and even Scott came and played. We have a carpet court and it was cleaned that same day so it was all slippery. And still we all insisted on playing. Luckily nobody got hurt.
On Wednesday my bishop in my home ward, Bishop Belnap came to visit me and take me and Elder Gordon out to lunch. We went to The California Pizza Kitchen. It was very good and we got to catch up on alot of things with him and stuff that is happening at home. Thank you for the package mom.
Transfer calls were this Saturday and I found out that Elder Gordon is leaving me here in Bonita Springs to go to New Tampa up north. He wasn't so excited but I think he will like it as he starts working with the people there. I am going to get another Elder Cook who is from Cody, Wyoming. I will have to ask him if he knows anything or anybody in Casper. I love this work and I am so thankful that the Lord has saw fit to call me to do his work. Everybody have a good week.
Elder Spencer Larson
Junior is getting baptized!!!!
Hey everybody,
So Aparecida and Kelly don´t want to get baptized and they said that they would rather stay in the Catholic church, but they´re still letting us teach them. They were so interested.
We are still teaching Jurandir, but he has a big problem, he dosen´t believe that Joseph Smith is a prophet. He went on the Internet and did a search on Joseph Smith and everything, and now he has douts about him. He believes that the Book of Mormon is true and that the church is true, I know it dosen´t make sence, he just hasn´t recognized it yet.
And we are going to have a Baptizam!! Yeah! Junior(15 years) is going to get baptized! He is a teenager that has been going to church for 6 months but he hasn´t gotten baptized because his parents haven´t let him. But we talked with his Mom and Dad and god softened there hearts, finally. Junior already knows a ton, and is firmer than most of the members in the branch.! What a blessing.
Have a good week every body.
Elder Stephen Larson
So Aparecida and Kelly don´t want to get baptized and they said that they would rather stay in the Catholic church, but they´re still letting us teach them. They were so interested.
We are still teaching Jurandir, but he has a big problem, he dosen´t believe that Joseph Smith is a prophet. He went on the Internet and did a search on Joseph Smith and everything, and now he has douts about him. He believes that the Book of Mormon is true and that the church is true, I know it dosen´t make sence, he just hasn´t recognized it yet.
And we are going to have a Baptizam!! Yeah! Junior(15 years) is going to get baptized! He is a teenager that has been going to church for 6 months but he hasn´t gotten baptized because his parents haven´t let him. But we talked with his Mom and Dad and god softened there hearts, finally. Junior already knows a ton, and is firmer than most of the members in the branch.! What a blessing.
Have a good week every body.
Elder Stephen Larson
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