Fireworks and New Year's Eve

For starters... I don't have my book where I write down reminders of what happened the past week.  So I'll do my best to remember - we just got back from the temple, which is why our P-Day is on a different day.  The temple is amazing.  Everyone who has an opportunity to go should go as much as often.  I feel extremely blessed to have the temple in my mission.

So, last week, we were talking to a random man and he was talking to us about New Years in the Philppines.  He said, "Para mga Filipino, masarap ang mga bawal."  He was talking about all of the dangerous fireworks and said, "for Filipinos, things that are not allowed are 'delicious."  That's a figure of speech here, to say things are delicious that are not literally delicious.  I found out on New Years Eve exactly what he was talking about.

I'm pretty sure about 98% of the 100000000000000000000 fireworks set off from private residences on New Years Eve would be illegal in every state in the U.S.  We got into bed... and I tried to sleep for a couple hours, to no avail.  I knew it was getting close to 12 when the cacaphony got to full blown mayhem.  I got outta bed at about 11:40 and sat out on our back porch thing (really small) and watched.  My comp and another sister joined me at 12.  It was AWESOME.  It literally was kind of like what it would feel like to be in the middle of a bombing raid... X20000.  All the cats were running around from car to car, cowering, and there were about 50 people hanging out across from our apartment with about 4 cars all honking as loudly as they could right at 12.  I can't really explain how the entire city literally erupted in the flames of thousands of fireworks right at twelve, but that's what happened.  On New Year's Eve night, Sister Giles (the new American Sister) told us some Korean folk stories she knows for some reason, and then the Stake President drove up to our apartment and gave us a delicious dinner.  That was awesome.  I think my New Years Eve was a lot more exciting than Christmas was.

In other news.... we have a lot of good stuff happening in our area right now.  I really really really don't want to be transferred. I love the people here a lot.  Hopefully... our feeling is... I won't be.  We'll see what happens though.  It's always according to the Lord's will, of course.

Let's see... what else was there... uhhhmmmmmmmm.  Wala na. Nothing now. Sometimes when Americans (like at the temple) speak to me I still accidentally speak Tagalog to them.  And mix up my "she's" and "he's."  We've been learning about the high value of visiting investigators every day, if possible.  We're hoping to see some long awaited baptisms soon.

Oh, funny cat story.  Of course.  We were teaching a part member family and they have this cat I LOVE called Ming Ming.  He's like... an adolescent cat.  Every time we go over there, the cat finds my lap as soon as I sit down.  The family teases me that we're best friends... and I mean, come on.  Yeah, we are.  Anyway, one time we were teaching them and Ming Ming jumped into the room from outside with a cockroach in his mouth.. it was still alive.  He dropped it on the floor as a present for his family.  The dad caught it (between his toes) and chucked the cockroach outside.  We laughed and continued with our lesson.  A little later... Ming Ming went into their bathroom.  Bathrooms here... are wet.  And open.  And dirty.  Ming Ming came out with a LIVE WORM and dropped it on the floor for all of us to admire.  Once again, we all laughed and the dad tossed the worm (and cat) outside.  The dad also told us that in the Philippines sometimes burgers and hotdogs actually have ground up worm meat in them.  Like, they grow huge earth worms in farms here and if you're not careful with what brands you're eating you might eat worms.  Eh... don't care.  I've probably eaten worse without knowing it here.  So... we kept teaching after the cat was thrown out the second time.  Then towards the end of the lesson, the cat was meowing at the door.  The dad opened the door... and in jumped Ming Ming with ANOTHER cockroach.  We had a real good laugh that time.  Cat presents to their owners.  They're the best.

Well.. hope you all have a great week.  I love you all and hope you are doing well.  I had another fever this week on Saturday night... but buhay pa.  Still alive.  Still working.  Hopefully getting healthier now.  Loving my work here... I can feel more and more clearly how important these people are to God.

Love,

Sister Larsen