Ea mai le vaiaso? Mine was sooooooo full!!!! Wow!!!
Thanks for the great update on things back home. This past week was probably one of the biggest, fullest, and hardest to remember, as transfer weeks usually are.
Members laugh so hard whenever I sing these songs!
A smile moment that I remember from the week was some of the language studies that I have been having with Elder Naidu. An important part of every culture is the music, particularly the songs taught to the children. My companion has been teaching me a few songs in Samoan, and I have sung them for a few of the members (who all looooooooved it!!). Hahaha! I have them on video, so you can see too.
The first one is about one friend asking another where the coconuts are to make some Samoan dishes:
Sole, Sole, Ua ea ni popo?
A popo fo'i lou soso, Ua uma ona fai ea le lolo
Aea, Ioe
Ua lava ma totoe, Fa'alifo 'ai ma oe!
The next one is about a little girl making a flower thingy for her hair:
O le pua e manoni ona fua
E toulu mai ta'i lua
*Something something* Atigipusa
E Faaoga *something something* ula
Su'i! Su'i, Su'i ia vave, e te alu ma ave i le fale
E vaai mai nai lou tina
O le pua e manoni ona fua
And here is a song for palagi's!:
Savalivali means go for a walk
Tautalatala means too much talk!
Ou te alofa ia te oe means I love you
Take it easy fai fai lemu
Ua malie oe,
Ua lava i le malo
*something something something something*
E tuu lou finagalo
Teine manaia means pretty girl
Taamilomilo means around the world
Whisper to me means musumusu mai
Ai oue, Ai oue, Ai oue!
Haha! The members laugh so hard whenever I sing these songs! Hahaha, I love the culture sooo much!!
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| The Solia family, one of my favorite member families here. |
Elder Cook's conference - Up close he looks older and wiser
Elder Cook's conference was neat! It was a bit different than the conference with Elder Bednar, because it was only a 2 hour conference, but quite spiritually uplifting! there were a few things that really stuck out to me.
- Firstly, he said that us as missionaries are ward builders. When we leave an area, we are meant to make sure that the ward has grown over the course of our service (which turned out to be important for me to hear, I will explain later).
- He spoke of the importance of the Spirit in conversion. This struck me quite a bit, so much that since I finished the Book of Mormon again this past Sunday, I started it over today, and I will be searching for how the BoM teaches what role the Spirit plays in Conversion, as well as how to develop spiritual gifts.
- We got to shake his hand!!! That was so incredible! Up close he looks older and wiser than he does behind the camera. Similar to Elder Nelson, he had piercing eyes that seemed to burrow down to our very soul! What a special experience!
My favorite teaching experience was once again with M_ and her family. She is soooo prepared! We went in with a member, because I felt bad that I can't contribute fully to the lesson. And it turned out to be quite a powerful experience. We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Elder Naidu felt impressed to invite her to baptism once again, yet this time with a specific baptismal date. She accepted enthusiastically!! So, she is preparing to be baptized at the end of this month, June 27th. Woohoo! Her and her young children were able to make it to church on Sunday, where they had a wonderful experience with the members and in lessons! How wonderful!
One of Elder Naidu's past investigators got baptized last Saturday, in the neighboring zone (Liverpool). We received permission to attend the baptism to support that investigator. It was very nice! I loved hearing the speakers, especially the woman who got baptized share her testimony. She spoke with such humility and gratitude for the wonderful opportunity to enter into a covenant with her Heavenly Father. President and Sister Back attended the baptism.... And because they were their, I found out transfer details a bit early, like I seem to every time, but not on purpose! After the baptism, President pointed to me and mouthed "I need to speak with you". Uh oh...
Quite sad to leave Elder Naidu and the Campbelltown 3rd Ward
I approached and he greeted me, and said "How are things going in Samoa-ville?" I responded that things were going very well, that the work had picked up quite a bit, members were getting involved with our investigators etc. He said "Good! Well, now, Elder Larsen. I've got a special assignment for you now." Okay, I said "Your getting transferred. You will be going back to the English program. How do you feel about that?" I expressed that that was okay with me, that I would miss "Samoa-ville" quite a bit, and everything about it, but I was willing to do whatever was asked.
He then proceeded to tell me where I would be going, who my companion would be, and what exactly would be my special assignment. "You're going to Wollongong ward, and your companion will be Elder Coats. He will be finishing up at the end of next transfer, so I want you to keep him going strong. We have really been impressed with the work he has been doing, and you, and we think that you will do great things! Now, as to what your special assignment will be; you two will be shotgunning your area (whitewashing), so you may be starting from scratch. I want you to work with the ward. There will be a set of Chinese speaking Elders in your ward to work at the uni (university), and a pair of sisters, but I want you two to specifically focus on building the ward. Too many missionaries enter that area and simply go to the uni for street contacting, and then baptize investigators that move away from the ward 2 months later. And because of this the ward has been suffering, but I really need you two to be ward builders" (see Elder Cook notes).
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| My old soa giving my new soa a haircut just before we drive down to Wollongong |
I will serve with all of my heart might mind and strength while I am here
Well, shoot! So I am currently in my new area, with my new companion. I am just down the road from Dapto (Jarrad's second area), still in Macarthur stake. But I was quite sad to leave Elder Naidu and Campbelltown 3rd ward. I have really grown to love the Samoan people, and to love the culture, and everything about them! I will do what I can to maintain the Samoan that I know, and even expand it, if I can. (I just sent a package home today with a bunch of extra Spanish books and Samoan stuff that I can't drag around the mission with me. There are a couple goodies in there for yous, so keep an eye out!) Will I finish in this ward? Who knows. I got another hint from one of our AP's, (Elder Bryce, the elder I got soaked with in the city when I was serving in Bankstown) who is going home this week, that I most likely will not be finishing here. Who knows what that means? Well, I can tell you. What that means is that I will serve with all of my heart might mind and strength while I am here, and strive to build the ward.
Sunday evening, there was a Samoan church history tour at our chapel, under the direction of a member of the Seventy, who was just called after serving as mission pres of Samoa. His name is Elder Leauta. He was also at our mission conference with Elder Cook, and he said some inspiring things. I was able to take a picture with him, Elder Naidu, and Elder Willis (who was just transferred to go be companions with Elder Tuua). So sad!
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| Bishop Hunt and his wife |
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| Elders Larsen and Naidu, then Elder Leauta of the Seventy, and Elder Willis |
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| WML and his wife, Bro and Sis Toomata |
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| Stake Pres Jones |
My new comp is the man!!! He is from Riverton, Utah. Loves football (American football). Loves being a missionary! I am looking forward to getting to know him.
My new area is every bit as beautiful as Dapto, just more busy, as we cover the city part of Wollongong and surrounding areas. We will be keeping our eyes open for the Samoans here:). Very excited for the work!
Whelp... That's my week! Lots happened, I will have to tell you more about the Gong next week!
Love you heaps!!
Elder Loseni/Larsen (I need to get used to the English rendition of my name...)
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