Elder Colby Larson's Mission Blog: 3/28/16

Malo lava Aiga!!!!!

Mom, that dream you had was way amazing! Especially Easter weekend! It's so sad over here because all people talk about is Christ suffering on the cross and they don't ever talk about the actual Resurrection! Especially as members of the church, we're not supposed to focus on the pains, the afflictions, the sufferings that the Savior went through. Don't get me wrong, that's all super important, but that's not what we need to focus on. Like Dad was saying in his email, the Atonement entailed EVERYTHING, in 3 events...The Garden of Gethsemane, the Cross on Calvary, and the Garden Tomb! ALL 3 we need to focus on together!! That's what makes it special!!!

Welp, this week.....wow. ONLY word to describe this week. George got baptized on Saturday!!!!!! And we had spiritual on spiritual experiences this week!!!! I wish I could share all but I don't have time so I can only share a few! But the first one!! The POWER OF PRAYER!!! So Pres Hanneman came this week with the AP's and we had a zone conference together, but they all missed they're flight to Manu'a, and so they stayed and went with us to George's baptismal interview Friday night! Haha it was us, the ZL's, the AP's and Pres and his wife! We got there 8:30 at night, and George wasn't there. So we waited for a bit, but 20 minutes later, he still wasn't there. My comp and I were starting to get worried cause usually he would've tried to contact us by now. He wasn't one to just not show up. And we know how much Satan was trying to get him off the path of baptism the entire week, and we prayed that George would have the strength and diligence to overcome anything that came his way. We were all still standing there waiting, and George still wasn't picking up his phone. We were all about to leave but I wanted to try one more time and knock on the front door. I turned the corner to his house with E Tuimauga to go knock one more time. Still no one. We had no idea where he was or what he could even be doing, we just prayer he was alright. So we turned the corner in the back to where we usually teach him, but still no one. So we knelt and we prayed. Prayed the Lord would hear our prayer. Prayed the Lord would bless George with the strength to overcome any temptations. Prayed the Lord would bless him to keep George out of harms way, wherever he was. And then we closed. We literally walked around the corner, and Pres said, "Look someone's coming"...I don't know if I've ever been so speechless in my life. George was running our way in the dark across the field in front of where he lives. I was the first to meet him and grabbed him and just gave him a bro hug!! I have never been so blessed to see a Samoan in my life!!! He was baptized on Saturday and Pres and the AP's attended and when I say everyone knows George, I literally mean EVERYONE!! We all went to dinner and we didn't even make it into the restaurant before George spoke with 3 different people! Which brings me to my other way awesome experience!! We were all sitting at Jade, this Chinese restaurant that the only way I can describe it, is like the Chinese restaurant that's at the end of Christmas Story, with the waiters talking like that as well hahahahah!! Anyways, Pres, his wife, George and my comp and I are all talking, the AP's are outside making calls to the ZL's, and we're all just talking. We were in a private room, and I looked over out the door and an old as man was walking into the other private room next to us and I looked at him and I just smiled and waved. I didn't think he saw me, so I smiled and waved again, and he turned and came and walked into our room. He walked straight over to me and said,"I apologize for intruding and interrupting, but I just wanted to come and thank this young man here. He smiled and waved at me from the door and I wanted to come in because I was attracted by his light." I don't know this guy from Nom, I just thanked him and asked what his name was. Bill Satele. You can call it a coincidence or whatever, but I KNOW that God put him in that spot at that moment for Pres and his wife! This man's best friend, is Pres Hanneman's best friend!!!!! Short story shorter, we have no idea who is watching us! It was such a testimony to me to continually, no matter what I may have on my mind, to ALWAYS have a smile, and ALWAYS be happy to greet ANYONE we may come in contact with, whether it be on the street, in a passing car, or in a home!

Anyways, I love Yous all and I hope Yous have a bomb as week!! Love YOUS!!!!

Elder Larson

After thoughts from other emails:

The joy that they feel is so much more to me! George sat next to us in sacrament meeting yesterday, after we confirmed him, and we were singing the sacrament hymn, he stopped singing during the song for the sisters part in the hymn, and then when the men are supposed to come in, I didn't hear him singing. So I glanced over, and tears were just rolling down his face, and I just put my arm around him and kept singing and it was so awesome!!!!