Sounds like you are all having a fantastic summer! Me too! Except it is freezing! We can only go swimming 3 times a week. The water can get too cold. This week we watched the new Transformers movie. Then we went surfing at Bondai Beach. We also had a blast with the 4 wheelers running from the police in helicopters. Pretty boring week. Jokes! Okay, I will write my real letter:)
How fairest thou? I be fairing good :). This week was full of high's and lows and in-betweens and everything! Shuuuuuuuxxx! What a week to report! Man, it will be cool when yous get my voice journals. Then you will be able to hear everything, or more of everything that goes on!
On Sunday I ate horse meat
So, I guess I will just start at the beginning of the week! This Monday was hectic!! Oh, did I mention that on Sunday I ate horse meat? I will get back to that....
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| Not sure if Elder Larsen will want to eat Horse again... |
Monday we had our Mission-wide Elders P-day. It was sooooo awesome! We played touch rugby, and ate bbq. President Back was there and he participated (he was dressed like a scoutmaster on a camp-out :D, with his thermal jacket, jeans and boots. The Man!) I got to catch up with all of my prior companions. That was awesome. It was especially good to see Elder Winkelman and Elder Cocker, as they will both be going home. I got an update on B_ in Liverpool from Elder Wulf. Sounds like he is doing fantastic!!! He is blessing the sacrament every week, he has home teachers visiting him, and the ward is there to help! Woohooo!
An awesome member
Monday night, like I mentioned last week, we had our FHE with the A_ family (part-member Cook Islander family). Man! It was awesome!!! We were able to teach the Restoration to the family. So, there were two non-members there, the partner of one of the brothers and a sister. We played heaps of games to keep everyone awake, but taught the principles. And we had an awesome member with us, who is a recent convert of 1.5 years. The man!
He played such an important role in the lesson. His testimony was so strong, and he related to the two women that his wife was born in the Church, and they were married 10 years before he got baptized. I wish I could write his story. It is long, though. Anyways, we committed them to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. And we also extended an invitation to be baptized when they come to know that the message is true! They both accepted! Cool beans! Exciting for them!
Around 2 AM Tuesday morning I woke up and ran to the toilet...
They also fed us heaps of food, which I think contributed to my problem that night... So, around 2 AM Tuesday morning, I woke up, ran to the toilet and emptied the contents of my stomach, a.k.a. threw up. Yeah... I was sick. Tuesday we stayed in all day. I didn't throw up again, but there were other indications that I won't describe that I was still sick.. :( We decided that it was probably the horse from Sunday. My body isn't used to the unprocessed food. My symptoms were exactly the same that Elder Cocker described when he told me about when he was in Tonga. All good. I really enjoyed the horse, anyway!
Elder Tai got sick Wednesday night too! Thursday, we had to stay home. Man! What a slow week!
Essential Oils
Friday was awesome! This past weekend there were a few amazing experiences that really highlighted for me the importance of working with the members, and the incredibly significant role that members play in missionary work. Friday night we had dinner with the H_ family, same brother who came to fellowship the A_ Family. What an awesome family! They are super into essential oils, and told us all about them. And then when we shared a message, that was when the amazing stuff happened!
Elder Tai (my wonderfully inspired companion) shared a message about the stripling warriors, and how they were taught to have faith by there mothers. The kids loved it. Then, we related that to missionary work. There are so many people who are not taught to have faith because they don't have the gospel! That struck home with the family. They decided to take action. they told us of the missionary work that the 11 yr old son had been doing. There was a boy that he had been bringing to church with him from school. We didn't even realize it!! They decided to invite him to FHE on monday, so that we can begin teaching him. Awesome! Missionary work is as simple as that! Invite Invite Invite! Sounds like this boy is pretty keen too! I will have an update next week for ya to see how it goes.
"Wow, this missionary doesn't beat around the bush"
Saturday we had another awesome experience working with the members, which extended into Sunday. So, there is another member in the ward, Charlie T_, who has a returning member cousin with heaps of unbaptized family. Charlie apparently has worked with my predecessor and Elder Tai before. He initiated lessons with his cousin (P_) who is keen to get back into church and bring his family into it. So, they set up a lesson for us on Saturday, with P_'s two eldest daughters, P_ and O_ (cool names, eh? I think they are half Tongan, half Chilean, so the names come from one of those cultures). Anyways, so we sat down with them, and their younger siblings and we taught them. It was actually quite similar to the lesson we taught the A_ Family. There was heaps of games and such to help them to remain involved. They really understood. It was cool, because they all asked heaps of good questions, that showed understanding, and they received the message well.
We found out in the middle that the oldest two girls had been attending the Liverpool Tongan ward with some of their cousins quite a few times! Cool beans! The end was the best part. I bore my simple, yet growing testimony. Elder Tai shared his awesome conversion story. And Charlie bore testimony of the Restoration and of the importance of it to him and his family. The Spirit was strong. They also agreed to read and pray to know if the Book of Mormon is true. Then, we felt it was right to go further. We invited the two girls to be baptized. At first they seemed a bit put off. "Really? Wow, this missionary doesn't beat around the bush" that was the message conveyed with their expressions hahahahaha! We made sure to tell them that it would be up to them to make the decision, that it wouldn't happen until they were ready, and there fears seemed to subside and they accepted the invitation. Woohoo! As icing on the cake, when we invited them to come to church, P_ said that he would take the whole family! And he did!
We were worried because they didn't show up 5 min before, 3 min, meeting starts, 5 min pass, 10 min. pass.... Just as they start to pass the Sacrament, they sneak into the back! Sweet as! It was so good to see them there! We moved to go sit with the family. They didn't stay all 3 hours, but they came! And they enjoyed the English services, because none of them speak Tongan (P_ speaks a little bit). They promised to come next week. We should be having a follow up lesson or two this week. Gangsta! How exciting!
We saw the Chinese couple last night. This Tuesday they go back to China for a few months. We also caught up with N_! Finally! He shared why he believes in God, which is really a long story, and agreed to hear our message in a week and a half.
Life advice and other comments
Wow! Congrats Jeremy!
JJ!!!!! Happy Birthday, buddyy! How does it feel to be 9???? That is soo exciting! Hope you enjoy your day!
Kaysie Dad and Mojo! I am jealous! I want to go hunting too!
Mom, I had some coconut rolls this morning, and I was reminded of the orange rolls that you make. I miss your cooking! Although the members here spoil us silly! Holy cow! I had 3 feeds in 5 hours on Saturday! What the heck!
Cami! Looks like you graced the family with your presence! I am bummed that I missed out on Jay-Lo eyebrows...
Kaysie, life advice: You should fast and pray about it. I would say go on a mission. But it has to be your choice. So many sister missionaries have shared with me the difference that serving a mission has made in their lives. Your testimony grows unshakeably. If you were ever unsure about something in the gospel, your questions will be answered as you serve a mission. It will shape you to become the person that your Heavenly Father wants you to be. But then again, women who don't serve still become amazing people. Look at your mother, for example! She is the best example I know.
Y'all are awesome! thanks for sharing your thoughts on how missionaries should act.
Okay! Love yous! be good!
042!
Elder Larsen
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