Sunday, September 18, 2016

9/18/16 Hello from the other side!!

Hello from the other siiiiiiiiiddddddddddddeeeeeeeeeeee!!! Haha I don't know how many times people play that here!!! Haha except they play a reggae version.....all day every day!! Hhaah!\\ Out on the street!

Anyway!!
How's the fam doing!?!? I sent a letter last week, but I have NO idea when it will get to you...they don't have stamps over here so that is a serious problem..which by the way, is it alright in you next letter you put in heaps of stamps please?? 

Glad to hear everyone is just killing it on the fields home bros!! Keep killing it!!! And congrats Kyle on your patriarchal blessing!! You may have gotten it by now and it's all a blur, but as soon as you get the actual blessing, do what mom and dad did with mine and make a small copy, laminate it(sp?) then you can have it in your scriptures wherever you go!! Then once you get that, then let me know!

This week has been a blur as well!! haha It feels like I just sent you an email! Well, went to do the marriage for Kuinise and Pano on Saturday...so whole story. The marriage was supposed to be at 6 on Saturday, so we went to confirm with bishop, bishop called stake pres, stake pres said that we could do it earlier at 11 because there was another marriage he was finishing up in Papa, a couple villages over. So we hurried over to Pano and Kuinise to let them and the fam know, they got ready and headed over and we hit a couple more visits and then we went over to the fale sa. Well, we all got there at 11.....except for the stake pres. So bishop started calling him, his failaukusi...can't remember what that is in english...couldn't get a hold of him. So we're closing in on 12:30 as we've all been waiting for an hour and a half, finally get a hold of the failaukusi around 12:45ish, and he tells us that pres doesn't have all the papers to do the marriage and is going to Apia...so we had to back and apologize to Kuinise and Pano about everything, it didn't hurt any of us, we were just worried about Pano, who just lost her baby. So Sunday comes around and the entire family doesn't show up to church. We went over yesterday night, and the dad, (the whole family are member converts form "09) and explained to us why none of them went to church. He was quite mad at the stake pres because he first, pushed the time forward within like an hour of the time he set to do the marriage, second, we all waited there for 2 hours for him to come, third, we couldn't get a hold of him because he shut his phone off, (we found out later). So we explained our end of the story, and we all got on the same page, but he was right, everything that I just explained about the stake pres happened. It was way sad because they were both so eager to get married and start fresh, but was completely shut down because of the miscommunication from the stake pres! Bishop was quite furious too but we'll have to see how things go in the next few weeks. The stake pres is getting released next month at stake conference so I think we're going to wait til then to do it, because of the riff that he has caused. But we're on good terms with the family still, they knew we and the bishop did our part and duty so were having FHE with them tonight and were super excited!! 

Well, spiritual thought for the week, I've gotten quite deep into my studies since reading Jesus the Christ, and a lot more things and doctrine make sense now...so I was near the end of Jesus the Christ, and reading as well in the BoM, and I just got the 3 Nephi 11-27 again, where the Savior appears and teaches the Nephites. And I came to the conclusion, that
"Any sin, no matter how far you trace it back, with almost 100% of the time, begin with Selfishness...this is why we put so much emphasis on the Pure Love of Christ, or Charity. When we are continually thinking of others and the goodness and well being of them, we begin to find that our lives become fuller with joy and happiness and we see and partake together of the happiness and joy of those around us" Which also goes to the first and second GREAT commandments....Love thy God with all thine heart, might, mind and strength and Love they neighbor, like unto thyself...I think I messed up the wording but yous remember!! Challenge to do the LITTLE THINGS to help someone else...no matter what it is, it makes a BIG DIFFERENCE and JOY to the person you'll help!!!

Love yous all and have a bomb as week!!!
Elder Larson (;


PS. For reals, don't worry about a package!! All I really want is letters! Really the only thing I need is stamps!! And I can get by with everything else!! LOVE YOUS!!!!

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

09/11/16 WHAT'S UP MY FAM?!?!

What's the haps going down in the 208!?!? 
I miss you all sooooo much!! Letters are getting sent, just trying to get envelopes from the store first! 

How's the week been!?!? School?! Sports?!?

Well, another week in Savaii for the books!! I absolutely love it here! I clicked with a few families now so I don't feel like such a foreigner even though, I'll always feel that way because I'm white but whats new?! Well, all is good with investigators, the only problem with ALL of them is that they're all living with their partners and not married...so we've got lots of marriages to set up! We're like marriage councilors and hooking up the marriages instead of people haha! We've got a marriage this week with Togise and his partner, Pano. Pano just had a baby pass away, only 5 months old (along... we think) and born premature. So the Plan of Salvation right now is what she's clinging to! It happened like right before I got here...but they keep coming to church and are doing great now!! Not really anyone else is moving, like I said last week, I'm trying to keep my comp from going trunky cause he's only 4 months left, but there's stuff I need to work on so I'm working too haha! 

Spiritual thought...I'm almost done with Jesus the Christ, and it has been so amazing to read because it's going so much into the Saviors life and teachings that the bible could never give you all of it!! James E Talmage did an AMAZING work in putting it all together! It's testifies so powerfully of the Savior and his ministry here and earth and after! And this one goes out to anyone preparing for missions....ALMA 17-19!!! I want yous to first begin with a prayer and then STUDY YOUR TESTIMONY OUT OF IT!!!! And instead of reading Ammon, put your name Elder...or Sister...and I promise and more importantly the LORD promises that its is an INCREDIBLE tool to help prepare for yous missions!!

Love You all and hope you are having a bomb as week!!!

Elder Larson (;

So this is literally me turning and taking a pic next to the side of the road!!! It feels like I'm in a Doctor Seuss book!!! 
Its soo cool!!!!(;

Thought I'd send some throwbacks...cause I don't have any good pics from this week!!

The Crew!! Elders and members going on splits!

9/4/16 HahahaahChiiiuuuuuuuuuuuu

Hows the fam doing?!?! Whats the haps in the 208!?? There's a letter on it's way, I just need to get it to the ZL's!! Hows school homies!??!

Well, I haven't spoken, let alone typed in English for a while so please bear with me!! Wow. This area is the bomb!! I LOVE IT!! The people are awesome!! And just the BEST!!! It's not as confusing as Tafuna was, it's literally just one road that goes around the island, and then a bunch of little roads going na iuka...inland! The families are the best, living conditions so humble, its the BEST!!!! And they don't eat heaps of oily foods!! It's literally all of the land, besides the chicken, but even then, they're running around on land so, yeah, all our feeds are off the land!! IT'S THE BEST!! Some families live in a pretty decent house, and some live in fale oo or fale Samoa! Its the COOLEST!! And there's hardly any mosquites (sp?) over here!! Haha really quick, so on Sunday, each  ward gave me a little bit of time like 3 minutes to share my name and where I'm from in Sacrament meeting! Well, I kind of whacked out during the 1st ward, shared my name and where I'm from, how long I've been serving, where, and then said faafetai.....haha completely forgot to close in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!! So everyone in first ward knows me as the missionary who doesn't know how to close in sacrament meeting! But all is good! Then on Saturday morning, the stake relief society had a faafiafiaga, no idea what that is in English, a really big get together?? Hahah anyways, they did siva Samoa and siva palagi, and holy smokes it was the BEST!! HEELARIOUS!!!!! Don't know if you remember right before I came out... and we met that Tongan guy at the Salt Lake Temple?? And one thing he said that I'll never forget, is that polynesian people "live life to it's fullest" and yes they do!! Haha especially in there dancing!!!! Samoan and palagi!! Well, we're also meeting with Pres and the APs this week as a Zone on Wed so another big meeting! It'll be in Salelologa, which is basically the capital of Savaii cause that's where the wharf is...anyways, it'll be there with the zone! Loving it here! So far so good! Haha, not necessarily losing weight, but it's changing to better weight cause we're eating heaps better!! I pretty sure we've had kalo (taro root) every night since I've been here for feed! 
Spiritual Fun Fact:
I'm pretty sure you probably all know this, but I've been reading in Jesus the Christ, and I didn't know this till now, but the whole story of Jonah and the Whale.....during Christ's ministry, he tell's many scribes and Pharisees that "a wicked generation looketh after signs" and that the only sign that he was going to give to them that he is the Son of God, who should come, was "that of Jonah". 3 days in the tomb, after he is crucified will he rise again, resurrected and CONTINUE to preach, just as Jonah did. And how much greater is Christ, the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of the World??

Love you all and hope you have a BOMB as week!!!!

Elder Laason xoxo
The District! Just 2 of us from the USA in Savaii...so fun!

INTAKE!! (The Elders I served with in the MTC.) Met up with Elder RT!!! Haven't seen this guy in ages!! It was awesome cause we're both in the same zone!!!!

8/28/16 Se Tama Samoa

Sorry this is going to be super short, I don't have a lot of time, but I just wanted to let everyone know we made it safe over here! Haha no sickness, no nothing! I thank my Father in Heaven for keeping us safe! I had such a blast in Tafuna and I already miss the peeps like crazy!!!! It was like I was leaving for my mission again, we had such a close bond with members, investigators, and recent converts it was hard to leave! But, the Lord calls and you gotta go! Nough said...So far, I've spoken to 2 people who know English, and everyone's Samoan here is like 3x faster than ANYONE spoke in Tutuila!!! Its nuts!! My comp doesn't speak English either so I'm speaking Samoan 24/7...literally!! My comp, Elder Taulolo said the first night I was speaking Samoan so that's a start I guess! haha We cover 3 wards over here again!!! Faala 1st, 2nd, and Vaitoomuli!! So far so good! Faamasani with families and the bishopric! So far so good! Patience is a virtue! Especially with yourself! And Prayers are being said constantly for help!! If you think you can do missionary work by yourself, learn the language by yourself.....your dead wrong!! We always need God, no matter what circumstance, good or bad, we need never to forget Him and His infinite love for each and every one of us!! Love you all and hope you all have a bomb as week!!!

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!

Elda Laason!!!(;




This little guys name is Bryan...it's a family that lives right behind our house.

This was at the airport, I'm going to miss this guy like crazy!!! He was like another little brother! My luggage was too heavy, so I gave him some of my stuff...Capital Football shorts!

This is my study desk....LOVE IT!!

We got to eat fish and noodles with this family... Isn't he fun?

This is the court outside of the church building...second story. Beautiful, huh?

8/22/16 Hey Hey Hey from the 684! ( My area code)

Hey hey hey!!! Sorry this weeks is gonna be kind of short cause there's heaps of things happening!! 

It was a crazy week!! This week Saturday we had our ward cricket game and primary slip n slide and it was such a bomb as turn out!!!!!! Heaps of less actives and ward members came! We had a few investigators turn up and they said they really enjoyed it!!! Hopefully we can get them started down a good path for the other elders!! Fetu is getting baptized later at the beginning of next month in September cause he couldn't get leave off for Saturday and Sunday, so hopefully at the beginning of the month next month!! Chris... we're still pushing him, he's getting better but we'll see where he goes! We're hoping we can push Esau to continue to help him to quit smoking! Holy smokes....so do you remember when I said a couple months ago that probably the coolest transfer would be to get called to Savaii with a native and where no one speaks english.....well, the transfer calls came last night.....and my comp and I are both getting transferred! E Faalogo is going to Lauli'i in Upolu with E Shwenke from my intake and I'm going to Faala in Savaii with E Taulolo, where E Faalogo's dad is from!! We're both stoked but at the same time we're both going to really miss this area! I'm going to miss the members, the investigators, and especially those who we were able to help bring into the gospel!!! George Tanoa, the family of 6, Keetch, Matt, Ray, Lilio!! They're all the BOMB and I'm going to miss them like crazy!!!! Tafuna is honestly might be my favorite erea of all time!! I've learned lessons here from comps, members, investigators, blessings, that I will NEVER trade for ANYTHING EVER!! It's helped me become a better person and come closer to my Savior and I will never forget those I met here!! I feel like I'm leaving home again cause I've been here so long, but it'll be for the better and the Lord needs me elsewhere. My work here in this erea is done. But hopefully my influence stays, but most importantly, all I really wish and pray is that all those I came in contact with and met stay true to the gospel and stay strong with the Lord!!

Anyways, sorry it's super short, theres quite a few things we need to get ready for when we leave but I love You and hope You have a bomb as week!!!(;

Love Elder Larson xoxo


No pictures this week. He forgot his camera...:(

8/15/16 Back at it again!!

Another week here in the mish and its been awesome!!!!!

How's the fam doing!?!? Mom no worries about last week, for real! It was totally fine!! Stuff like that is goning to happen...especially when I go to Upolu or Savaii...sometimes internet goes down and missionaries can't email...but anyways!!! 

Yeah got a couple of emails from Bishop the last couple weeks! I sent him an update last week and that's probably what he read during Sacrament meeting!! Haha right on with the Olympics!! Someone said they're goning to be in Tokyo in 2020!! Is that right!?! Wish we could have watched the rugby!! I'm craving it!!

We haven't had the ward cricket yet...its this Saturday! We're going to confirm things on Tues with our taitai misiona for Saturday so we'll see how it goes!!

Haha right on with Cade!! That's very cool!! What did he take his ie for!?? 

Yeah the one we did for the Shafermeyers is called the Tika Tonu....but that one isn't for like a football..that one is more of a respectful Haka...if you want a War haka, look up the haka the All Blacks do before international matches, then you'll find the one you are looking for!! Sorry I don't have a lot of history on it...all I know is that whenever there was a war in New Zealand, they would do the haka to scare there enemies, BEFORE there was bloodshed, but I think if they needed to fight, then they would...sorry I don't have a lot, all I know is there are heaps of Haka's, they all just have different words and actions! 

So this week was crazy!! In a good way!! We had a district meeting with the President and his wife with the ZL's!! we had to ask some families to help for lunch because it was here in our area at our falesa, but it went so welll and the families were so bomb!!! They helped heaps and we got them little thank yous afterwards!! So, for the actual meeting, we went over the Doctrine of Christ, which can be found in...
2 Nephi 31
Alma 7
3 Nephi 11
3 Nephi 27
And I think there's one more, but I can't remember for the life of me! Anyway, we were all given a lesson, the Restoration, Plan of Salvation, Gospel of Jesus Christ, Word of Wisdom or Law of Chastity, and we had to put in the Doctrine of Christ to each one!! It was phenomenal!!!

And then, this is actually a challenge for EVERYONE!!
We were challenged to take each principle of the Doctrine of Christ and find a scripture that not just has the word in it, but you could use as a definition or an example of someone using it, in EVERY 1 of the 15 books of the Book of Mormon!!!
So first one is Faith
then Repentance
Baptism
Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost
Endure to the End
And last but not least, the Atonement!
So one scripture to back up all of these in EVERY book of the Book of Mormon!! So 15 each!!

We couldn't get a hold of Chris this week, but Fetu got a bapismal date for the 27th of this month!!! We're super pumped for him!! He and his family will be able to go to the temple next year around this time, so go to the temple!!! Super excited for them!!! And then we have the ward cricket day and Saturday and hopefully help bring in heaps of less actives and non members!!

Love You so much and hope You have a beautiful week!!!(:
Elda Laason





Took a little break after our weekly planning and got some sweet shots!

haha got a pic with Leonardo!! hahah this little guys name is Jerome and is OBSESSED with Ninja Turtles!!!! I'm Rafael to him haha!! He's the man!!!

08/08/16 Famalay!!

What's the haps fam!?!? 

Well, sounds like you have been very busy lately haha!! Props to you all!! Hope you're enjoying the sun, and how dry it is over there. haha!! 

Well, we saw Sister Anandan on Tuesday with her dad! We're gonna have feed with them on Thursday this week and talk more! But she filled me in on what the haps has been lately!! More on Thursday! 

Then we went and no one was really moving this week, so Elder Faalogo and I decided to take matters into our own hands. President is always quoting from Elder Christopherson, "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten." So we're doing something different! We're setting up a ward cricket game for 2nd ward where the leaders are most willing to help and the bishop just got changed so he's super willing to help with missionary work cause he and his wife both served missions in the Phillipines (sp?)!! Super stoked cause our aim for this is for next Saturday and we're going to do breakfast and lunch and we're hoping to bring all the less actives and nonmember friends for more people to teach!! It's gonna be very exciting and we're really hoping if it goes well, we're going to do it for the other wards! 

And on another subject....there's something I want to talk about to future missionaries, missionaries, and RM's....To the RM's and the missionaries now, I think we can all agree that as soon as you are called as a missionary, you are also called as a psychiatrist, wedding councilor, addiction councilor, parent, and problem solver of anything ever imaginable!! Haha I learned that this week with Patrick, active member from Upolu who is trying to get his family back to church because of a situation that happened years ago with the prior bishop, and they're all going to Assembly of God now. So we ended up talking with him almost all night Saturday night and he was concerned because the family doesn't allow him to go to our church on Sundays, and forces him to go to Assembly. But he know is giving a lauga (speech) in their church like 3 Fridays in a row and he kept asking us for help with the lauga, because he wants to share our doctrine in their church, but he doesn't want anyone to help him but us. We tried the bishop, taitai misiona, councelors, isi taitai, anybody, but he won't take any help from anyone else but us. We ended up just telling him to share his testimony for all 3. We can't really help him a ton cause he doesn't come to church on Sundays, but all we could really tell him was talk about repentance and faith in Christ. No one in their church is going to be willing to anything else because their hearts won't be open. It taught me a lot talking with him, because he served a mission, he's an RM, and his heart is in the right place, but the family is just pulling him away from the church. I honestly just wanted to tell him to go back to Upolu, he had a stake calling and everything, and here he's just getting pulled farther and farther away. His family here drinks and smokes now and we think he's even getting into that now from one of his calls earlier. All we could do was bear testimony to him and hope he makes the right decision. It's almost like being a parent. We see all these people who are moving into the gospel and we're VERY HAPPY for them!! Then, on the other end, we see members fall away because of family in other churches and its sad...all you want for them is the happiness they can feel in the gospel and the Pure Love of Christ...but they have their agency, they have their choice, all we can do is love and set examples for them to come back! A scripture for those who feel like they are being hit at every which way with temptations, I have a scripture for you about our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ and His Atonement...
"The Savior hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted" Heb 2:18
And then as the Savior helps you along take this from a popular hymn, sang often...
"Doubt not the Lord nor His goodness [for] we've proved Him in days that are past"

Love you all and hope you have a bomb as week!!! LOVE YOUS!
Elder Larson




Elder Faalago and I this morning. Getting ready to paint a roof. We'll see how that goes...hmmm!