Full Circle

Changed my mind.  I first typed "changed my mom,'" but that's not the English I'm looking for.  Tennis is not a sport for pansies.  Because Sister Grant used to be a super pro at tennis back in her glory high school days, President and Sister Stucki invited us to go play at the mission home this morning because they have a tennis court right next to the home.  It was awesome.  There was a coach there who taught (me) how to play and just egged on Sister Grant.  Apparently I'm really good at backhanding it, but that's about it.  I popped SOOO many balls over the fence, but the coach was nice and patient with me, and there was noticeable improvement in my skills (or lack thereof) by the end of the session.   I told Sister Grant that we'll play together and that she'll help me get good when we're both at BYU, although I still prefer bball and soccer.

President and Sister Stucki are two of my favorite people; it's gonna be hard to see them leave on the 29th of this month. I don't know what it's gonna be like to get a new mission president, but I've heard some pretty good stories about it making people grow, so that should be a building experience for me.

Here's the other big news.  On Sunday we found out what our assignments as Sister Training leaders would be for who we'd do exchanges with.  Guess what our assignment was?  PALAWAN.  I'll be going back!  That's very exciting for me, and I'll be so very happy to see some of those people I haven't seen in forever.  For those of you who aren't as familiar with the Manila mission - the whole mission, after the split, is now all city, except for the island of Palawan.  Missionaries never go to the island twice, if they get to go at all, so I feel priviledged that although I won't be assigned there twice (that never happens) I get to go back once again to do exchanges with the Sister missionaries there.  It'll be nice to go back to the area where it all started over a year ago.  It really will be a full circle, in a sense, as I look where I was at and where I am now... I don't even want to think of the attitudes and perceptions I had back then.  My mission's definitely been teaching me how to remain happy even when the times get tough and things just don't pan out the way I want them to; but ultimately it's not about what I want but what the Lord wants.  And if I do what He wants in His way, I'll be happy.  Obedience, although not blind, is one of my favorite principles of heaven.

We had an investigator a couple of weeks ago, that when we taught him about the restoration of the Gospel and showed him a Book of Mormon, he looked at us and said, "Can I buy that?"  That was definitely the first time anyone's offered to buy a Book of Mormon from me on my whole mission.  We said, "No, even better, you can have it for free if you'll read it!"

One little kid went to the church for an activity there with her mom for the first time. When she walked in,she said, "WOOOW Mom, the Sister's house is HUUUUGEEE!"   I wish I lived at the church here, it's brand new and hecka nice!

Taylor Swift had a concert here last week.  We met people who were going, and they were all like, "Sorry gotta go rinow we can't be late!!"  People are all about T Swift here.

Sister Grant told a funny joke this week.  In Preach My Gospel (missionary handbook, sortof) it says, "When trying to talk to people for the first time, start by noticing lettering on their clothing or things in their yard for ways to start up a conversation."  Sister Grant said to me, "What if the people aren't wearing any shirts and they don't have yards?"  #Manilainthesummerproblems.

Luray, like Luray Virginia, means "to mutilate" in Tagalog.  Glad I don't live there.

We taught an American, in English, and his Filipina girlfriend this week.  I've never taught someone who doesn't understand Tagalog in a real teaching situation yet on my whole mission, and neither has Sister Grant.  That was an exciting lesson with a lot of long pauses where we awkwardly tried to figure out how to say gospel related things in English.  I will not be able to talk about Church things very well in English for a loooong time, probably.

Things I learned this week - my mission is actually like being in one giiiiaaaaaaaaaaaaaant funhouse where you get to see how tiny of hallways you can squeeze into and there's lots of cool animals and insects you can see that might bite you and you'll bang your head on a lot of things.  It's been cool though.  We had some trials of faith this week for sure, but we also feel that the Lord is pleased with our work; just sometimes people have their agency to choose whether to follow what's right or not.  The Lord has a plan for all His children, including HIs missionaries, and I know my faith has really been strengthened this week and we really had to rely on the Lord and not our own spiritual or mental strength.

Love you all!  Stay strong and happy and make choices that will bring you true, lasting happiness... and always, always, thank God every day for everything you have and all He's blessed you with.

Love,

Sister Larsen

What We Do On Exchanges

This is what happens when we go on exchanges and we bring two Sisters to our area like we've been counseled to do - we sleep on the floor in the kitchen.  PARTY!! :D

New Best Cat

In every area, I will always have a favorite cat.  In this one it's definitely Leor, who belongs to a really solid and great family in this area.  He's a Persian cat, the first one I've ever held, and is quite simply the most delightful little fuzzball I ever did meet.