The Guy on the Victorian Bike's Got Swag

Dear friends and family,

This week's been great!  First, I'll start with the fun stuff. When Sister Ordiz and I went jogging the other day, we were just going along when suddenly a guy rolls by us on a HUGE VICTORIAN BIG WHEEL BIKE. Like, one of the ones from the 1800's with the huge wheel in the front and lil one in the back.  And he had his groceries all tied to it, totally casually.  It was obviously super old, and he was legitimately using it as his regular transport.  That pretty much made my whole life, and I may have seriously wished I had a bike like that.

Here's a funny saying I found in our Tagalog dictionary, "Love is like a fishbone stuck in the throat - the more you scratch at it, the more it feels deliciously itchy."  Hmmmm..... true, I think, hahah.

I saw those huge bats that live here.  They're awesome, and they are my friends cuz they eat mosquitoes.

 

[Marinda did not take this photo.  I, her mother, found it on the web because I wanted to freak everyone out.  It's a vampire!  But actually, it probably only eats fruit, nectar, etc..  No mosquitoes. No blood sucking.  I'm not even sure the photo is legit since Wikipedia says they only grow to be about 10 inches long. Still plenty big.]

 

My companion currently learns Tagalog from my "learn Tagalog" books because a lot of times they just use English words or there's not a super direct translation (or she doesn't know it.)  Apparently her original native language is Visayas, so she knows Tagalog but doesn't speak it all the time normally, haha.  I have not been confident that Tagalog speakers actually know their own language very well most of the time since it's such a complicated and mixed language, haha.

There's a bird here that has a call that goes "whoo whoo."  It sounds like a guy cat call whistling to a girl.  It throws me off every time I hear it, hahah.

I also got sick for a couple days this week - dizziness, nausea, weakness, which I caught from one of the other two Sisters living in our apartment now.  I'm fine now though, no worries.

I would send pictures, buuut... my camera cord got left in Manila.  Hopefully I'll be getting that soon.

The biggest and most important news - WE HAD OUR FIRST BAPTISM!! Sister Jeannic (here we call most people by their first names rather than last - don't really know why, but since we teach huge extended families, saying "Sister Dagot" wouldn't make sense since there's 300 Sister Dagot's we're teaching.)  Sister Jeannic is very special, and we taught about 5 lessons to her (she was found by Sister Ordiz and her previous companion.)  I am so happy for her,and she is such a nice person.  Her testimony is profound and beautiful.

My personal revelation scripture I received this week is Alma 26:37. "Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen."      It was hard, but I know that if I bear with patience my afflictions all will be well if I do my best.  I found great comfort from that.  Mayroon kapayapaan ay ang puso ko.  [Rough Translation-"Have peace in my heart"]  We, as missionaries, have afflictions, but it's okay.  It only makes us stronger, and I have noticed the Spirit coming into my life more and more as I've served.

The people here are AMAZINGLY receptive to us.  It kind of blows my mind.  Not a single person has flat out denied taking a pamphlet from us yet (everyone is willing to take one) and they all give us their address and numbers so we can teach them.  They are a happy people and a kind people here, and are ready and willing to listen to our message.  It is difficult for many of them to make it to Church sometimes, but we do our best to help them.  The work is progressing here at a rapid pace, and I am happy to be a part of it even though it can be difficult at times.  I am excited to learn more and more Tagalog so I can teach the people and most importantly help them more effectively as a missionary called by God to serve them with my whole heart.

I love you all, and I keep you in my prayers.  Stay strong in your faith and what you are doing and know that God loves you, no matter who you are or what you are doing.  God loves you. I can bear complete testimony of that.

Much love,

Sister Larsen

 

Note from Marinda's mom:  In answer to some questions I had asked, Marinda wrote, "[My apartment] is probably nicer than my apartment at [BYU] - they set the Sisters up nice."