Yep, it's that time... the time of transfers.
I'm getting transferred back to Manila! Actually most of the Palawan Zone is
staying the same, but I'm okay with getting transferred. I could feel it was my
time to go, and I'm excited for the differences in missionary work that I'll
discover over in Manila - I know in some ways it will be easier, and in some
ways harder.
This week, because the chances of it being my
last week on Palawan were super high, Sister Jennic and Sister Jacquiline said,
"Gagawin kami boulder fights para sa inyo bago aalis ka." "We'll do boulder
fights for you before you leave." I had no idea what that meant. Turns out it
means the traditional eating setting in the Philippines; laying out several
banana leaves (in this case, on a bamboo bed they had made), laying the food on
top of the banana leaves, then everyone eats with their hands. I actually
really like it a lot, and it's fun. I still don't know what the actual word is
to describe this, but it sure sounds like "boulder fights" to me, hahaha. I was
seriously hoping I'd get to see fighting boulders.
On the same note, yesterday the Lola (grandma)
of Sister Jennic, who when Sister Ordiz and I first were visiting the family was
super irate and wouldn't talk to us, declared that she sees we're people of God.
Her heart really has been softened; she was die hard Catholic and mad we were
visiting at first but now she really likes us. She then said, "Because you're
leaving I'm going to sing you a song." It was in Cuyunin, the Palawan dialect,
so I didn't really understand it. It was probably a 5 or 8 minute song, sung by
this 80 year old woman and I didn't know if I was tearing up because it was so
funny or because I am in many ways sad to leave here. She had a good voice
actually for her age but it was just SO hilarious how soulful and fun she was
with it. Then she started singing about me being on an "aeroplane" going to
"Manila" and wishing me luck in Tagalog. That was sweet, I really appreciated
it coming from her especially.
Throughout this entire transfer, we've had a
family of cats that lives beneath our window right where we study every day.
Now, I have no idea how this originally happened, because it's fenced off by a
very high bamboo fence. Every day, the momma cat jumps this great distance up
to the fence, and claws her way over it to get to her babies which are next to
our window. It's not in any way an easy thing, so I'm not sure how she
originally did that when she was pregnant, since there's no other way to get
into the fenced off area. Anyway... every time she hops over that fence she
starts trilling (specific kind of meow... man. I'm still such a cat person) and
her kittens are all SO happy to see her and... aw. Man. That mom cat wanted to
keep her kittens safe, so even though it's very difficult for her to jump that
height every time, she does it so her babies will be protected and happy.
There's a lot to learn there... I feel like when I see the examples of people
here as well, I see what parents need to do more clearly as I see good (and
sometimes bad) examples. It's not easy to be a parent, but I'm confident my
mission is preparing me to someday be a better one. I am supremely appreciative
for the hurculean efforts of my parents in the past to keep me on the right
track, instruct, correct, and love me so that I would do what was right and be
safe like those kittens. That spiritual safety is something that I want for
every single person in the entire world to experience, and I know that Christ
conquered insurmountable opposition so that he could save us, the children of
God.
I've learned a lot this transfer about how
important positivity is, to me personally. Without Christ, none of what I'm
doing now or anything that we ever do would be possible. Our lives would have
no purpose. My understanding of the Atonement has grown in leaps and bounds
this transfer, and I am so incredibly grateful for the eternal sacrifice that
Christ saw fit to perform so each of us could have the choice to be happy
eternally.
And, for fun, here are some of my goals from
when I was 9 that my mom found cleaning back home and sent me. I'm not doing
too bad so far, actually. I was actually surprised "go on a mission" was one of
them at that point in my life.
1. Go to BYU Provo
2. Have
10 cats
3. Become an art teacher
4. Have
kids
5. Get
on a chior [sic]
6. Go on a mission
7. Heart
cats even more
8. Get a drivers licence [sic]
9. read
all Harry Potter books
10. Make my own flower garden
Love you all!
-Sister Larsen
In celebration of Halloween... I
still don't know what these are called. But their call is super weird sounding
and they look like zombie pheasant things. They just wander around in our area
wild. I'm gonna miss the green and fresh air here, but I know I have other
things to do that the Lord sees fit for me now.
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