We Need a Booking Agent

Dear friends and family,

First, to get the random stuff out of the way.  This week we ate kwek-kwek given to us by a member, which is quail eggs fried in flour and has something that makes it orange.  It was surprisingly delicious although I was afraid to try it.  

Second, last week when I mentioned that my dad had been in a motorcycle accident *again* while I was on my mission, my Bishop said, "Oh no, was anyone in his sidecar?"  HAHAHAHAH.  I reminded him that our motorcycles in the U.S. are not "trikes" as they call them here with metal deathtraps built around them.  We had a good laugh about that.

We also went on exchanges this week with the Sister Training leaders.  Sister Taufa went on exchanges with my trainer, Sister Ordiz, and I went with Sister Ordiz' companion.  It went well, and the Sister I was with said, "Sister Larsen, your Tagalog is really good, but sometimes on rare occasions you speak so fast that people can't understand you."  Hahaha, I never thought I'd reach the point where I was speaking too fast (and mostly correct) Tagalog to be understood.  Our ward mission leader also told us the same thing, that our Tagalog is good and correct but since I phrase things a little bit differently and speak it quickly it's hard for people to always let all the words sink in right.  Sometimes, because my English is kind of slurry-southern-Virginian, Sister Taufa doesn't always quite catch what I say to her/  If I say something twice in English and she doesn't get it, then I say it in Tagalog and she gets it.  We have a lot of good times together.

We sang in sacrament meeting this week, at the request of Bishop. (note the picture - matching belts too!)  He played the piano, and we sang the song - (Jesus was) "No Ordinary Man."  It's a very pretty song and Sister Taufa and I were happy to have the opportunity to sing it for the ward.  It must have been at least pretty good since the speaker right after us (a 25 or so year old man) cried at the beginning of his talk and said it really touched his heart.  We certainly felt the Spirit as we sang it.

I wanted to share with you the lyrics, because the message is so true and applicable for all of us to remember to never personally apostatize in our belief in Jesus Christ and the wonderful things he did for the entire human race.

"Jesus was no ordinary man.  But there were some who did not understand.  They saw him working miracles, but some were still decieved.  Why did they not believe?  When with few loaves and fishes, the multitudes were fed.  When showed them His power to heal, and even raised the dead.  When he walked upon the water, and he calmed the raging sea... why did they not believe?  When his faith filled the fish nets, gave sight unto the blind.  When they saw at His bidding even water turned to wine.  When he offered all He had to them, if they would but recieve... why did they not believe?  Jesus was no ordinary man.  The power to bless and heal was in His hands.  They saw Him cleanse the leper, they saw him heal the lame.  They must have sensed divinity and known from whence he came.  But understanding not his cause, they crucified the Son of God... and even then they did not understand.  That Jesus was no ordinary man."

Those words of testimony are true - that Christ gave all to us, and we have a charge here on this Earth to accept and heed His teachings.  It won't be easy, but it will be necessary and important.  I know that as we become more Christlike in nature and action, great blessings and true, lasting happiness will be ours.  People can debate it, but I have seen firsthand here on my mission and my own life that those who accept Christ as their Savior and live in the manner He would have them live are truly so much more happier than those who have not yet chosen to do so.

Sister Taufa and I were asked to sing again at Zone Conference on Wednesday - we hope that we will be able to effectively invite the Spirit singing "I Need Thee Every Hour"  in Tagalog.

I love you all!  Always remember to improve every day, and make good goals.  Using time wisely throughout our lives is such a very important principle, and good planning and goals make that happen.

Love,

Sister Larsen

Sister Taufa had companionship shirts made for us.  They're pretty legit.  We kind of look like super heroes in this picture; this is right after we played volleyball and I got a bajillion bruises all over my arms.  I still will never get why people love that sport that pretty much just equates pain ;D  

We discovered the Palawan Portal!

[Marinda's blog this week is short because she wrote her Mom a very sweet and long email. A couple of quotes from that email include:  "This is actually a really happy part of my mission." and "My views of the blessings I have will forever be changed because of my mission." ]

If you see the picture below and think that it's an old one from my time on Palawan, you'd be wrong.  Apparently, we have "bukid" or "wilderness" in our area.  The edges of Paranaque, where we discovered we have some members, are actually pretty wild.  It was nice for me and Sister Taufa to spend some time there,  and we now go back quite often to teach the members there.  It felt like being back in the backwoods of Virginia and Tonga for us at night :)

We've been doing a lot of work here.  We're contacting many part member families, and really working on teaching them and bringing people back to Church for those who haven't been for a while.  We're definitely seeing miracles, and I can say that this is a very, very happy part of my mission.  The ward is amazing and they work well with us in accomplishing this work. 

I really don't have much to say today - except for Happy Valentine's Day!  One of the little girls in the ward said she made us Valentine cards, and she's really excited to give them to us.  We have weekly planning on Friday, so that means that our Valentine's day is going to be spent by making plans for a few hours for all the people we teach.  Sister Taufa and I joked, "We're gonna have SO MANY dates this week!  Baptismal dates!!!"  Ah... missionary jokes.  Sister Taufa and I have a lot of good times together.

I hope everyone is doing well and is happy.  Count your many blessings every single day, and always find ways to serve others. 

Much love,

Sister Larsen

Stairway to Heaven?

On the way out to the area that I now like to call the Palawan Portal because it's so medium jungley again, there's this magical tree that has stairs wrapped around it.  No, the stairs don't go anywhere.  They're just there.  I feel like this should be in a super hip art museum somewhere.

Hello Sister Larsen, I'm Sister Larsen

For starters, that picture is of Anna Marie's baptism two weeks ago.  She's so awesome and we seriously love her family so much, and the progress and joy that's come to their lives through the gospel is so amazing for us to witness.

 

Here's a confusing thing - there's now a new Sister Larsen in our zone, straight fresh from the Missionary Training Center.  I actually accidentally got a package meant for her a few months ago, haha.  This is gonna be all the confusion.  Everyone thinks we look related (really pale and same color hair) and it's possible - her dad's family lives in Idaho is what she said.   Anyway, they'll call her Sister Larsen the Younger is what they said, hahah.

I had my first green, leafy, delicious salad in 8 months last week.  It was amazing.  I miss salads so much. They like... don't believe in them here.  This salad was from a member in the other ward and they brought it home to us.  I'm going to be such a healthy eater when I get back... there's so much palm oil and terrible ingredients in everything here in the Philippines. I'll have to detox my body for probably a year to get out all the oils and fats, etc. that we eat here.

Here's caucasian problems in Asia... they don't sell brown or blonde bobby pins here.  Only black.  Everyone knows I wear bobby pins pretty much every day... my supply is running low.  Blonde bobby pins - if you're white and coming to asia, make sure you bring a lot of the right color of bobby pins.

Now for the good part.  I've been reading through the amazing book "Jesus the Christ" by James E. Talmage lately.  I've received so much personal revelation testifying to me that Christ is truly the Savior and that we have a responsibility to follow Him from reading that book.  Recently, I read what just really struck my heart with its poetic beauty, especially with relation to missionary work.  

'[Christ said] "Have ye understood these things?"

[The Apostles answered] "Yea, Lord."

[Christ] impressed upon [His disciples] that they should be ready, like well-taught teachers, to bring, from the store-house of their souls, treasures of truth both old and new, for the edification of the world."

Somehow, that passage really inspired me and brought again to my remembrance what I need to do now, as a missionary.  I feel so honored for the trust the Lord has given to me in doing this work, and I hope to always strive to be worthy of it and do my very best.  I hope to enlarge the "store-house of my soul" now on my mission and be able to share knowledge and love with others at all times, and help bring to pass "the edification of the world."  

Today is our temple day, and we are so very excited for that.  I feel so blessed to be here in Manila mission, and even through the hard times and struggles, the Lord really does watch over His servants.  Thank you everyone for your love and support always.

Nagmamahal,

Sister Larsen

This is called a dragon fruit.  It tasted... interesting.  I'm not sure I really liked it, but it's like super duper awesome looking and definitely doesn't look real.

This is what happens when you kneel to pray as a Sister missionary many times a day... you get weird knee calluses.