11-27-16 Back at it!

Fam...What is up!!!

How's everyone going!?!? Whats in the news!?!? Your trip to Utah sounded sooo fun! I wish I could've been there with you all!! Tell Grandmama and Buddy, Sonia, Gina, Dee and the boys hello from me and I love you ALL!! I'll write to them next week. Tell EVERYONE I love them!!!

I am sooo grateful Grandmama is okay...prayers answered! 

I wish I could have been there for the snow. I wish it would snow here, but that's so far from possible! Haha it did hail, don't know if I told you that... probably 2 months ago! First time ever in Samoa! 

Well, this week, started slow, the doc said stay off til I felt 100% just cause the weather can just mess it up again, but thanks for the prayers cause I'm back!! The feet are all healed up just not looking as pretty anymore haha! So this week, has been kind of an internal struggle, cause my new comp is quite different from ALL my other comps up until now! Really the only thing that's keeping me sane is looking at the example of my Savior Jesus Christ. He is the Perfect example and we had quite the conversation in Sunday school yesterday and one lady in the ward brought up, with all the bad things going on today, how are we to judge what is good and bad anymore?? I didn't get the chance to share, but I wanted to explain how Christ has said, Follow me, and do the things which ye hath seen me do. It was a really a simple question, but it really got everyone thinking, going back to the basics. What would Christ do?! This past week, the quote that keeps going through my head is from our Prophet, President Monson...May we ever choose the harder right, than the easier wrong. It's applied quite a few times this week and every time I do take the right, even though its harder, and Satan tries to manipulate saying to not, every time I do I witness blessings from above and I see settling upon my life!

So, this week on Sunday we had a miracle happen!! We've been working with these three and they all showed up to church!! We've been really trying to get these particular investigators to church, but it seems like every Sunday, everything just falls through and they can't make it...but yesterday was a miracle! Fuaiupu, Uelese, and Fono all came to church and we're really hoping to set dates with Fuaiupu and Uelese on Tuesday! Looking for the 10th for both of them!! And particularly, one miracle, Fuaiupu. She is the 15 yr old that has wanted to become a member and be baptized but her dad has been denying her to even go to church, even though everyone else in the family; the mom, her 3 sisters and older brother are all baptized. But the past 2 Sundays she's come to church, BY HERSELF! We're really trying to strengthen the rest of the fam cause they'll come once in a while, but we're hoping the fam will reactivate! That, and our 2nd ward is just the awesome!! They go and do visits to our investigators on certain Sundays, to see if they need anything, and to strengthen them back in the gospel( because all our investigators live at partial member houses)! Its incredible and we're seeing the effects!! This gospel is TRUE!!!!!

Just recap, and some thoughts, we're all going to go through ups and downs in our lives here on earth, yet there is one person, 3 particular events we can look to for grace, peace, and joy and the solution to literally everything; our Savior and his Atonement in Gethsemane, on the Cross in Calvary, and in the Garden Tomb. He is literally our everything as we look to eternal happiness and joy! Whether burden with sin, struggle with life's trials, or even in times of bliss; we can look to Christ and his infinite sacrifice for each of us individually. He knows us each by name, he suffered for us, he's with us in struggling times, in times of rejoicing, EACH and EVERY DAY. Through one of his teachings, Christ explains to us the Love of his Father and our Father, his God and our God, in saying, " nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long."

I just Love this gospel! LOVE IT!!! 

Love you all, and hope your having a safe trip back home!!

Elder Larson

CRAZY ELDER!!

Beautiful...behind the fence!!

It doesn't get any more beautiful than this!! HEAVEN!!!

Well...this is what healed looks like. I don't think they will ever be the same...but we're working again...so that's awesome!

Last trip to the hospital for my feet!!! YAY! We are all so happy to be done!

Last trip to the hospital!! And my feet!

11-13-16 - #MakuaLeaga #La'uVae

I apologize! These last two letters are out of order. No pictures on 11-20-16. The pictures on that post are for this week...11-13-16...so sorry!

Hey hey hey!! Well, this week was one for the books....sort of haha! 

Monday night I got very sick with a fever and didn't know what it was from. It was very weird...it was pretty bearable, and then it hit hard later that night.  I asked for a blessing! E Rarotoga went to get the 1st counselor, Fuiava Neti that lives behind us, and they both knelt and said a prayer. It was the absolute...words can't describe it....I just started too cry and my body just felt peace....my hands were like ice, but my body and head was like fire....and they hadn't even given the blessing yet. They then closed, gave the blessing, and then I fell asleep not too long after. When I woke up, the fever was just about completely gone...I know that the Lord was looking after me that night. His love for each of us is incomprehensible!!!! 

So Thursday, after our district meeting, we get a call from theZL's that my comp is getting transferred to Upolu tomorrow! We didn't even have time to say goodbye and it was a huge bummer ! I stayed with the Elders in McKay, which is a little ways over from our area. Then the ZL's picked me up in the morning to get my comp, E Fesolai, from Faleasi'u, Upolu. He finishes his mission next month right after Christmas... which is crazy! Shortly after we arrived home,  I started getting these fuafua (puffy bumps) on the top of my right foot, and I didn't think too much of it and it started getting a little swollen, but we went and tala'i anyway. That night my foot started to hurt really bad, and the fuafua (bumps) turned into these nasty pus filled bumps.  So we went to the doctor...oh man, third world hospitals, it's like I'm in a Bourne movie!! It's crazy!! Anyways, they wrapped it up and fixed it up a bit, we went back this morning to check it and re-wrap it...so get this, it's a hole now. Wish I took a pic before she re-wrapped it, but she put this creme on it that she said will help seal it up from the bottom. So that's us, we were trapped at home for the next couple days, but all is well,. Just found out my new comp served with E Lamoreaux!!!! I haven't seen him since he left Tuts...sidenote! 

Anyways, we're just reading every book we can find in the house, scriptures, samoan, english, some tongan haha! But, my foot should ke'a in a couple days, and we'll be back at it! One of the many things I like about E Fesolai is that he really wants to finish his mission on a high note, and he's ready to work, so I'm stoked for when we can get back at  it! Love you all! You are probably at church I think, but anyway, have a bomb as week to yous!! 

Elda Laason xoxo(;

11-20-16 #ONOSAI #LeVaiasoAtoa

Hey Fam!! 

So sorry to hear about state. Take state for rugby though cause rugby's a better sport anyways(; And props to Keato for playing like a champ! Love you bros!!

Well, I'm going to try and answer as many questions as I can because we weren't able to proselyte a single day this week...the doc said stay off my foot, but it's just about better and it's looking like Wednesday we'll be back at full throttle! 

Yes, there's no rules on climbing niu's. Just don't go too high, and don't be an idiot.

Well, food is not very different from American Samoa, but it's not nearly as fatty as it is from Tuts! WE get heaps of kalo, and lu'au which is the taro leaf with pe'epe'e in the middle stuck in the umu! It's my favorite!! Then we get chicken on the daily because chickens are EVERYWHERE over here! It's like the Merrill farm times 10 was let loose in Samoa! 

No, I don't remember the last time I had milk to be completely honest... it's super expensive over here cause it's shipped from NZ and Aus. The water... you just have to get used to it, but I'm used to it from Tuts so I don't  get sick anymore...

Cool experience of service from 2 weeks ago We sat down in front of this other church, loku tahiki, with all these older ladies and we started weeding this massive rocky erea with them and we were just crackin jokes and stuff with them. It was so fun! Then we got three of them to get a return date to go visit there families so we're going to hit those this week! Very excited! But it literally just started cause we sat down and started weeded! Haha they really didn't want us to at the beginning, but we just sat down anyways and started weeding! It was awesome! 

One thing that I ABSOLUTLEY LOVE about the Samoan people is that literally EVERYWHERE you go, you can joke around with complete strangers like you've known them your whole life! They're always laughing at each other with jokes, its just the funniest ever! They're just really open people and just the best to be around! 

Well, this week, I've gotten back into Jesus the Christ, and YES!! This is like the sweetest book ever! Christmas is next month, but speaking of the birth of the Savior, throughout the Bible and the Book of Mormon, a "son of David", is prophecied to the people on the eastern and western continents, that shall "be called Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins". I also know thanksgiving is this week, so lets just combine it! Let us have gratitude and love towards one another, looking to the perfect Atonement of Jesus Christ... and to look to serve! I said this quite a while ago, but I'm going to say it again...I'm had quite a bit of time to think this week as I reflected it again, but to me, the beginning of any sin, any bad thought, or action, begins because one is being selfish. Selfishness, I've come to realized is at the heart of just about any sinful conduct. Therefore, if Selfishness is at the heart of sin, then selfishness is a defining characteristic of Satan. Which illuminates the reigning characteristic of the Savior, the Unselfish, "Pure Love" to one another, or in other words the Pure Love of Christ, CHARITY. So just a little challenge for everyone! This week, we should be grateful for everything, any little thing, because God has given us all, even His Only Begotten, so let us SHOW our gratitude by SERVING OTHERS! Just a little pep talk for this week, but I'm going to apply it as well so I'll be with you all in it! Love YOU!!!

And props to everyone on the sports! Wish I was out there with you, but I'm there in spirit! Love you all and hope all is going well! And safe trip to Utah! Hope the roads are safe for you there and back! LOVE YOU ALL AND HAVE A BOMB AS WEEK!!!!

Love,

Elda Laason xoxo(;

After my return from the hospital. They dug out the infection...OUCH...and wrapped them up!

This is the result of  the coconut tree climb. I started with a 105 temperature on Monday...received a beautiful blessing...and a few days later...my feet began to swell and nasty oozing sores appear...yum!

Caught Elder R. Napping!

110616 BESTASAVAII

Hey hey hey!!!

How goes it?!?! Whats the haps?!? 

What's happening with everyone?? Congrats on the wins!! Sorry this is a very late email, we went to Salelologa and got back, comp emailed and then I just got on...

This week was quite wonderous!! Sale, Willie, and Viliamu were baptism 2 days ago, and we are working with the dad tonight at FHE and the whole fam! Mom is a member, less active, and the dad's not a member, so we're praying that tonight goes well! We have a couple fun games to play with them and we're excited to teach this great family! We're going to focus on forever families and the BoM and just pray that the Spirit is very strong with us! The dad wasn't able to attend the baptism, but the mom did, and was crying afterwards, and thanked us... so we're really hoping and praying for tonight!! Honestly, these kids are awesome and we love em!! Haha and the little sister, Rina, (5) funny! She's such a crack up! We play all these hand shakes, games, you name it with these guys, we've known them for a week, but it feels like we've know them for AGES!!This gospel is true. It doesn't get more simple than that! 

On another note, we are having so much fun just talking with people on the road, visits. We had one night where we were just singing songs with the kids in front of an abandoned store, just sitting on the benches, it was awesome!! Absultuely loving it here! It's going to hurt when I leave this erea. We've gotten really close with quite a few people!! Love em all! 

Played rugby for the first time in a while! Well, my comp played and I watched cause I'm still waiting for my feet to get better haha! But it looked very fun! We play in front of Sale and his bros house! 

We'll I've been getting B_U_R_N_E_D this past week, and finally peeling, but it's all good! People ask about my face in just about every visit ..."What happened?" haha! Apparently red isn't a very common color for a person's face! I look like a raccoon!! 

Praying for you everyday! Not a day goes by when I don't think about you all! Keep up the amazing... everything!! Can't say much more than that!

Shasta down in 5 seconds flat!

This great family was baptized last week!

I LOVE this gospel!

!! LOVE YOU!!!!

Love you all!!

Elder Larson (; God bless!! xoxox

10-30-16 #FAALA #SILIASAVAII

Hey to the 208!!!

Looks like I caught you at a good time!! How's everyone doing?!?! Got the email... loved it!! Glad you guys are killing it on the field! Heard what went down!!

Well, first off.....Monday, sa ou pe'a se niu...haha ma makuai leaga a'u vae le vaiaso akoa! Ae, aua ke popole leai se isi mea ua faalekogu!! Kalai malosi, ai malosi, moe vaivai!! se'i vagaga e iai se faafekauli haha! 

Yeah, I climbed a Niu (a mountain) on Monday and almost Kuli-ed a niu! Messed up my feet really bad though so we were off and on throughout the week, but all is well, because we found these 3 youth that want to and are getting baptized this week!! Their whole fam is inactive, but we're doing a FHE tonight because the parents want them all to be baptized, because they love the teachings of the church for the kids! Lessons too! So yeah!! Tonight we're gonna do some magic and card tricks and talk about how the Book of Mormon can show us the mysteries of life if we pray and ask in faith! The dad isn't a member, but the mom is and we're hoping to bring them all back to the church!! 

Nothing much else happened, we were home hit for a couple days cause of my feet and everyone is calling me Kolipoki (Elder Groberg's Other Side of Heaven movie) now haha! It's a crack up, but we're loving the members and we're getting referals like crazy! It's so exciting and this week we're going to contact and hopefully be getting more into this amazing gospel!! 

I just want to bear my testimony, because it's the only way to faamautinoa....not sure the exact English translation...'make firm' my testimony! Besides studying and such!

I know this church is true with every fiber of my being. I KNOW, because of wonderous experiences I've had in my life, not just my mission. I've felt the love of God at times when I've been at my lowest. And I know the Lord knows us PERFECTLY!! He knows us better than anyone, especially ourselves!! As much as I miss you, I know this is where I need to be!! It brings me so much joy and happiness to see the joy and happiness in others!! Making them smile, laugh, come into this beautifully perfect gospel!! I LOVE IT!! Bros!! You HAVE to serve missions!! If I were to even attempt to sum up a mission in a few words...it would have to be ETERNALLY CHANGED!! Why? Because serving a mission puts you in a different state of mind! All your life you've had school, sports, friends, homework, T.V., phones, etc. Kind of blocking your progression. BUT, for 2 years, you put EVERYTHING aside and 24/7, you are learning more about the love of Christ, Christ himself, and helping others gain testimonies of their own in Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon! It's Eternally Changing!! And one more thing...on your mission, I'm going to tell you right now, at least once on your mission you will feel hopeless, helpless, lost and alone...but at this point in time, there is only one who you can turn to...and that is our Heavenly Father. He IS the ONLY one you can turn to! He, through the Spirit, will soften and strengthen your heart and testimony! I promise, because it's happened to me!! I know that He lives. I know that He's there. I know He sends the Spirit to soften and strength our hearts in Him and His Only Begotten Son!! Missions are WONDERFUL!!! You gotta GO!!!

Haha so funny for the week, I was talking in my sleep and then I woke my comp at like 3am while talking, he replied cause he thought I was awake, and then which kind of woke me up halfway, then we just completely woke up and talked for like an  hr and a half then went back to bed haha! My comp says Iv'e been talking in Samoan in my sleep which he thinks is a crack up! 

But anyways, that's us for the week! Not much, but so much at the same time! Love you all and hope it's all going well in the 208! (208 is Boise area code.)

Love Elder Larson xoxo(;

Ps. Don't worry about any packages really!!! Don't worry about any Christmas stuff or Birthday!! Really I don't want anything else!! Thanks so much for the rugby ball!!! 

I just love this pic!! No idea where my comp got it, but he said he got it from the states! 

A little "Kolipoki" moment from climbing a mountain!

Guess who I met in Savaii? Elder Reece a GREAT missionary & new friend of mine from back home!
(Elder Reece is my cousin Collin's good friend from Meridian, Idaho...SMALL WORLD!!!)

10-23-16 #FaamuamuaLeAtua

Hows the FAM!!??!?

Figured you are busy, maybe at Audrey and Ikes farewell, no worries!! This week I just wanted to give you an update on each investigator so you can be in the loop!!!

Pili Paepae- she's married, no kids, done with lessons, but she keeps pushing her baptism saying there will be a time...we just gave her a BoM yesterday and wrote our testimonies in it testifying that if she has any problems or concerns in life, any question she has, she will find the answer combined with prayer, in studying the BoM!!

"If you want to talk to God, Pray. If you want God to talk to you, Study the Scriptures(BoM)"

Saini- an older lady with kids that are married and grown up, but only her and with her daughter and her daughters husband, with the 2 little guys. Her daughter and son in law are members, a little less active, but trying to reactivate as well as teaching Saini. We're doing a FHE on Wed night with them and going to there maumaga to help with the povi(cows).

Pene-he's in Apia right now with his wife. She's about ready to have their 2nd, so when she is born, then they'll come back and we'll finish his lessons!

Sivao- she's a matai in Faala, very strong in the lotu pope, but we're really hoping to change that! There are so many others Mareko and Luisa(I'll talk about later) that want to be Mormon. Even her husband wants to be Mormon, but the culture is just so stinkin strong with some families that they take the culutre over the church teachings, any church teachings. But she really likes having us over and hopfully through fasting and praying, the Lord will soften their heart!

 5 Now I would that ye should understand that the word of God was liberal unto all, that none were deprived of the privilege of assembling themselves together to hear the word of God.

 6 Nevertheless the children of God were commanded that  they should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who knew not God.

Mareko/Luisa- Elder Holt, intake, who left not too long ago who served her asked about Luisa and the fam which was very cool, because along the lines of my last comp and his other comp, they stopped visiting which really hurt the family, but we found them again and they really want to be members of the church, the only thing is Sivao, but again, fasting and prayer! 

So there are a few more, but these are the main, progressing ones! We've got lots of referals to contact this week, and excited, because the APs are going to be with us tonight and tomorrow, so reunion with E Tuimauga!!!! Loves you all hope the week is going great, and can't wait to see you

in just  a few short months!!

Love

Elder Larson xoxox(;

Pics;;;;A split in Vaitoomuli with our taitai misiona, Iafeta. #InaDrSuessstory

And the last one is the smallest bananas ever...and they're stuck together.

Walking over shrapnel on our way to a referral.

Just walking through our area. Isn't it beautiful? VERY HOT!!!

Smallest bananas ever... stuck together!

10-16-16 WONDERFUL CONFERENCE!!

Hey super sorry this is late! Our meeting went late and our president said we could take the rest of the day to pday so that's why this is late (1:30 AM our time :))! Super sorry it's late and super short! But one of the infinite things that I learned at the conference with Elder Neilsen today(btdub, Elder S. Gifford Neilsen is his whole name and he played in the NFL for the Houston Oilers as QB!! He's in the college hall of fame!! Such a legend and spiritual GIANT!!) Anyway, one of the many things I learned was incredible and changed my prospect as a missionary!!!

First my question...who were the first companionship to preach about the restored gospel here on this earth?? 

When E Neilsen said it, it was so profound and simple, BUT SO POWERFUL!! He said," Think First Vision.....it was our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, preaching to Joseph Smith, the prophet whom Jesus Christ called to restore his church upon the earth in the last days!! It was just such a powerful conference spiritually and just absolutely AMAZING!!! I LOVED IT ALL! I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE!! He and his wife are just powerhouses and just all around BEST people!! They met at age 11!!(; We had a very cool experience with them too!! The day before, we had a member that lives next to the falesa ask us if we could ask E Neilsen at the stake conference if he could give a blessing to her husband who had 2 strokes in the last 8 years...she's a convert and her husband has been a strong member all his life! So we had the opportunity to go with E Neilsen, he so graciously accepted and I know the couple will NEVER forget what happened yesterday, that particular sabbath day...we all went the 4 of us, E Neilsen, his comp E Peteru from Australia, my comp, and me! We got there and the wife explained the situation, because the man can't speak very well because of the stroke. Anyway, E Neilsen had some words and then we gave the blessing to him. Actually, E Neilsen gave it, and let me tell you....It was so powerful!!!! He's in the first quorum of the 70, so he's literally one of the top 100 most spiritual giants of today with the quorum of the 12 and the first presidency!! Then the wife started to cry, and so E Neilsen asked if she wanted a blessing of comfort, so E Peteru WAS going to do it, but then E Neilsen turned to the man we just gave the blessing to, Malu, and asked if he would be willing to do it( been through the temple with his wife, powerhouse of a man), and his speech wasn't super clear, you could just make out the words he was uttering during the blessing, but it was one of the most powerful blessings I've ever heard...he could barely stand, holding onto E Neilsen as he gave the blessing, but WOW... and E Neilsen brought up the experience during the conference earlier today, and it was just an experience I'll never forget!!!! I LOVE THIS GOSPEL!!

Fam, sounds like yous had a great week, love you and may the Lord bless you in school, sports, callings, family, everything!! I love you to pieces!

Good luck Grandmama and Buddy! I'm praying for you! 

And good luck Audge and Ike when you travel to the MTC! Praying for you too!!One companion you will have YOUR ENTIRE MISSION...your whole life... is the HOLY GHOST!!! 

And this goes for EVERYBODY.... the first thing when we can no longer stand, no longer bear the burdens of life, no longer take another step, one word, five letters, KNEEL. The most powerful help, guidance, love, blessing, will be through pray and on occasions, combined with fasting. 

I love you all and hope you all have a bomb as week!!!

Mom, just the one rugby ball would be great... thank you so much! Sorry I couldn't email you earlier, but love you all and hope all goes well through the week!! 

Love, 

Elda Laason(; #Penukoko (My new pig name...haha!)(; xoxoxo 

pic1   #faalaboys

pic2 #reunited14monthslater

Elder Rarotoga and Elder Larson...working hard!

Elder Bickmore and Elder Larson reunited from the MTC!!! They were companions and ZL's together!!
SOOOOO wonderful to see this guy!