Meet the Mormons

Thanks for the email mom! :D It really made my day!

This has been a good P-day. This last week was a whirlwind, and WHEW! it's over :D

Today was the most relax P-day ever. I got two loads of laundry done (and I even got my shirts hung up fresh out of the drier NO WRINKLES), did some deep cleaning of the bathroom, some sport (consisting of physical therapy exercises, push ups and sit ups), and had a hamburger for lunch. It has been a good P-day. Tonight we are going to watch Meet the Mormons with President :D Lucky us!

This last week, our zone conference trainings went really well. Elder White talked about personal consecration, and I talked about Doctrine and Alliances 121 (many are called, but few are chosen). Our last training was about the fact that we are all called, and this one was all about the fact that we must choose to be chosen (aka, to have success as a missionary, and to help others come to Christ). It went great, and I felt the holy Ghost help us. I was thrilled that the missionaries listened, and that I think it might have helped some of them. It was good.

This week, I also had the chance to do another split with my friends, the zone leaders of Papeari (Vairao, my old sector with Elder Clark and Ball). I went with them after their zone conference, and I got to see a bunch of my old converts. I really was lucky and happy to go again. Elder Tago (from AUS) was there with me. He has been a ZL for a few months now, and I really really enjoyed being with him. He is a smart, nice man, and I learn a lot from getting to work with elders like him. While on the split, we saw some inactive converts as well. That was rough, and I think it was an eye opener for me, as to the fact that once people are baptized, its not the end. Oh boy. I felt so sad for a sister I met, who was sobbing. She really needed our visit. She was a new member when I arrived in the ward, and this last year has been so hard for her. I think That I realized a bit more about what the 'true religion' is (according to James 1 27). I am sooooooo lucky to have had you and dad as good examples, and to be able to be a missionary thanks to your choices, and my choices. Wow, I feel sooooo lucky and so blessed! I just hope that I can be an effective tool for Heavenly Father.

This week, we have a lot of time to teach ahead. Elder White and I taught 12 lessons this last week, despite all of the conferences, and all of the time spent elsewhere. Whewwww... So glad that that week is over. And in about 2 weeks, it will allllll start again. We've got a big promotion of new missionaries coming in from Provo.

I will send some pictures, and then send my last thoughts for today. Sorry its a short email. Elder White and I will be going to Papeari and back tonight, to drop off some baggage for an Elder. And don't forget the meet the Mormons :D

I love you all my family, and congrats Dad for magnifying of callings! I am happy to hear that you will be helping the Stake get on target with YM's and Scouting. 

Also, I am proud of you baby Hannah! 

Well my family, that is about all for tonight. Have a good week. I am doing well. I am safe, and I am happy. ANNND, I am well fed. :D

Have a good night!

-Brigham

Me and an old friend from Vairao. He fed me Jack Fruit (relative of durian, that actually tastes sweet) :D

Elder Tago and Me

The good old ZL truck... :D I missed it.

Zone Conference Papeete (best zone ever!)

All-Time Teaching Record

So, this week. Was an adventure. I did get some good photos :D

I am going to give a quick daily summary of this week:

Monday, was filled up (like I said.... Sorry) We said goodbye to Elder Tau, Elder Holding, and some other missionaries. 

Tuesday, we received a group of new missionaries (all from Tahiti) Did some orientation, and got them taken care of.

Wednesday, we worked with the new missionaries then sent them to their sectors, then we had a big meeting with all the WML's on Tahiti. That was stressful.

Thursday, we had an all-day leadership council. It went very well.

Friday we took off! We did a zone conference at Raiatea, and then did some splits and lessons with the ZL's there. Elder Rose and Lee Chip Sao. Very cool Elders :D I love those guys! 

Saturday, we got up, went to Bora, and then did another zone conference (with the Bora Bora district), and then we came back on Sunday.

So, that is a quick summary. I am doing good, and I will be doing even better in a week or so :D 

We've got a lot of conferences this week, but the week after should be nice. This week, we only taught about 6 lessons :( All time record for me (as in least IVE EVER TAUGHT...) yikes. I sure hope to get some more lessons in this week.

The conferences went pretty well. We taught about helping people make it to baptism, and how we should be able to accompany the investigators all the way through their conversion process. It was a special chance to teach with President, and to see the other missionaries. In Bora, they had 6 Elders in the house, and we stayed there, making it 8. It was awesome being able to talk to them, and see how things are going. It was a special trip, and I hope that other missionaries learned from the conferences, like I did. 

I am SOOO happy to hear that Sister and baby are doing well! I am proud of you guys! Seeing those pictures was so cool! I cant wait to meet her, someday!

I am doing well. Thanks for all the prayers, and for helping me to be here. I am so glad to be here. Some weeks are easier that others. This week was stressful, but really really cool, being able to see some islands. I hope we get a lot done this week in our sector.

These are my thoughts for this week. Again, know that I am doing well, and that I love you all! I can not believe that it is already 2015. I just hope that I can do my best for the next seven months, and that my best is good enough!

Have a good week I LOVE YOU!

-Brigham

This is a picture of Elder Tau. He finished last Monday. Crazy.

The Tahitian group that just came in. (this is all Monday/ Tuesday)

We went to Raieatea!

Me and Elder Franco (MTC companion!)

Yes... we got on planes :D

This is the Airport at Raiatea.

Here you see the whole thing. The gate, and the check in counter. Tiny.

Then we went to Bora Bora

You have to take a boat to get from the airport to the island... wow.

This is a pic of us on the ferry

This is me and Elder Ball!

This is the UNREAL lagoon at Bora Bora. HOLY COW

This is Leaving Bora on plane.
yes I was like a little boy on the plane. GLUED to the window :

Less of a P-Day

Holy cow! I have another niece! :D Best p-day news ever!  I am proud of you my sister!  She is so cute!

This P-day has been less of a P-day. Woke up at 5:20... and it wasn't to go fishing :P Finally we have a few minutes to mail you!

Dropped off an Elder who will serve in Brisbane, then I got a haircut from Elder Twede again :D. Then we spend some time getting the returning missionaries of this week to their interviews, and making sure that things were managed with them. Whew. We've got some Zone conferences coming up, and a transfer in process, and 7 new Tahitian missionaries coming in on Tuesday afternoon. There's also a meeting on Wednesday for the WML's on Tahiti, and then on Thursday there is a leadership council. Friday Elder White and I will be in all-day meetings. We'll have NO time for our sector this week. OH man. Thanks for the prayers, and for thinking about me. I just hope we can get all we need to done, and not forget important stuff.

I will try and log back on after our FHE so I can write a tad more, and send pics. I left the good card at the house (got my pics on it, and just changed to a new one).

Know that I am well, and that I love you.

Have a good week!

Elder Larsen

Happy New Year!

Hi everyone!

This week has gone by SO fast! Some really cool things happened, and I feel so lucky to be here. It is SO good to hear about you! Dad, I am happy that the camp-out was a success, and that you and the boys had a good time. It made me chuckle to think about the McDonald's-smelling bivy. Hahha! I loved the Brigham Young quotes too.

New Years Day was.... interesting. We spent it at the office, making some reports. When we went into the sector, wow. Lots of drinking. Not cool man. I understand why some missions have missionaries stay in. Either way, we taught a bit, and worked in the office. We also got to eat steaks with president. :D that was fun. Now that the holidays are over, here comes the work! oh yeah! Can't wait for this week to get going. We should teach a lot more this week.

This week, I got to do a split with the Elders from Punnauia (the Zone Leaders, that is.) I was with elder Sandstrom (I dunno if I told you about the other split I did with him as his Zone Leader). He finishes in a few weeks, and it was great fun being together. We got some good work done, and I really enjoyed learning more from him, and with him. Heavenly Father really gave us a special miracle. The first lesson we did there, was right after our weekly district meeting. We went to their meeting, then afterwards, I was with Elder Sandstrom, and we went to the lesson. When we got there, he said ‘’oh, you might know these people, they are from Vairao (my old sector). ‘’ They had seen them one time, and knew that they were just visiting Punnauia so thought we’d try and teach a lesson real quick.  We showed up, and sure enough, I totally do know them! We fixed their baptismal date, and I will be able to be there! It was just a cool turn of events. Heavenly Father let me be there, at a ‘random’split, and at just the right time. It was so cool to see them!

This week we are getting ready for the Transfers! Wooo hoo! It feels like every week is transfer planning now. It involves a LOT of time meeting with president, about the strategy of what sectors to cover, or open or close, and then President getting the revelation to know where to put the missionaries. It is a cool process, and I am lucky to participate, but it does take a lot of time. I look up to president.

This morning I studied about Ezra Taft Benson. Holy cow that guy was an AWESOME prophet. Holy cow. I got a copy of the manual from our ward secretary (:D) and then got to read some of it this morning. I got kind of sucked in, reading about his life. He is a Hero. Really though. I want to be that good of a servant for my God, and I want to be that kind, and that serviceable. Wow, it was a good study. I want to be the best I can be, and help Heavenly Father. I am amazed by the example of the living prophets. I really love those manuals, and get a lot from them.

SO, that is most of what is on my mind today. Just know that I am well, and that things are going alright here in Tahiti. I sure do miss you, but it seems weird now, thinking that I finish this year. Hmmph. Weird. This is going by really really fast. Like really though. Christmas is already over. WOW. I can't wait to see you all. I love you and I pray for you too!

I love you my family! Thanks for everything, and for taking care of me! Tell Grandma and Grandpa thanks, and that I love them as well. It will be so fun to see them again too! 

Have a good week, and thanks for all the prayers! 

-Brigham

Sister Naylor's going away crepes and enchilada party (at the Anderson's :D)

She was with us at the MTC. A super nice sister. Her parents are in the photo.  They came down to pick her up.

The baptism that happened last week! :D

The white pants are soooo comfy (and SOOO BAGGY :P)

Me last night with an elder who was at the MTC with me! Elder Haumani

This is a pic of IDAHO POTATOES !!!! I saw the box in the dumpster on the street, and I was SO happy, that I took a picture :D Go Idaho!

Beach soccer today, turned into grass soccer.

I sat it out and took pictures :D