February 17 Snail Mail

This letter was received on March 3, 2014

 

Crazy Coconut Close Call with Clark

Thanks for the emails this week. Thanks for the mail too!! I got a huge pile today, from Dec, and January. Funny how it comes in spurts.

Things are going well. I like the car. It beats biking like CRAZY. It gets sweaty on a bike in church clothes. Just saying.

So, cool story. DON'T BE SCARED OK MOM!! I'M FINE.

Saturday I was on the beach (I know right!) walking back from a lesson in Fenua Asheré. (wilderness part east of Tehupou, like the end of the presque isle. Just means less electricity and not really usable roads). My life flashed before my eyes in the form of a falling coconut. We had had a lesson with a young boy (went great, hope he gets baptized) and then elder Clark and I were walking back. Black beach, GORGEOUS view and HUGE coconut trees.  As we were walking I heard the boy say something just in the background. I stopped walking and turned to see if he was talking to us, and I just hear this THUNK, as a 5+ lb coconut falls like inches in front of my face and makes a splash in the sand. Don't think the boy was calling for my, but if the boy hadn't have made a noise, the coconut from the tree and my coconut would have been pretty sore.... Elder Clark thought it hit me, and we had a moment of wow. Just spooky. I know Heavenly Father helped protect me, not from thieves, not from a hurricane, but from a falling coconut, lol :P. Super cool. Don't worry Mom, I will be OK. Not walking under the coconuts in the wind anymore...

So, awesome news... Elder Nelson is coming to do a mission conference with us! He'll be here Friday with us, and Saturday for a Priesthood conference. Super stoked. all the missionaries from the islands and everything will be there, and I get to see my buddy Elder Squires. That will be fun. Just super excited for that.

This week I had some crazy fruit. Chinese ice cream bean (that's what I call it, lol) and some other weird ones at Elder Lee's house. He is going to BYU for Industrial Design like I think I want to. We talked a lot about that. He is a good friend too, and he's in my zone now. Yummy fruit.

Thanks again for all the support and all the love. I love you all, and thank you for the mail and support and prayers. I hope that the garments and other stuff make it, but if not, no big deal (other than stolen garments, that could be bad). I am doing well and I am happy. I really am. I love you all so much. Have a good week,

Elder Larsen

Oh and PS, trying to send a letter this week. Hope it goes out. I have not sent one in a while sorry; :/

LOVE YOU!!!

At the Vairao Chapel.  Next to me is Elder Petis and Elder Clark is in the glasses.

I Broke the Eleventh Commandment

Hi Mom! Sorry I broke the eleventh commandment yesterday... :P  [Eleventh commandment is Thou Shalt Write your Mother -Steve] Transfers happened, and President told Elder Clark (my new companion) we could write today. As far as the packages go, Elder Clark says that they are usually really slow. He says two or three months can be normal unless you do the spendy fast option. I'll hold it out for a bit, and if the flip flops don't get here thats OK. New pants are not necessary. I also just got transferred into a car area so we'll see if that lasts long anyways :)  Good to hear Eulalia is fighting off the boys.... and that snow is falling. Here it has been RAIN RAIN RAIN :P I like it, but it is really WET.

So my new sector is called Vairao. Its on the Presque-Isle (almost island). The presque isle is the little part of the peanut (looking Tahiti from above it looks like a peanut). It is A LOT different here, but I am happy to be here, and Elder Clark is great. He's from Utah and has been in the field for like 15 months or so. He's been in the sector for four weeks, and he knows it pretty well. There are so few people compared to my last sector, but the area is at least two or three times the size. He and I are the Zone Leaders, and our zone is HUGE. I'm still not sure why President called me as a zone leader, but I am happy for the chance to work with lots of other missionaries and the couples, annnnnd to be in the car :P Elder Clark is super cool and is a lot like Hunter. We live in a LARGE open house with two stories. The other two missionaries are Elder Goes and Elder Houde he's from Quebec and knows Dad's areas. Quebec French is weird

This week I had some fun new fruit too! Dragon eyes, and cannet ( not sure how its spelled but it sounds like cuh-nett in French). Might be current, but I dunno. Either way its yummy and tastes like something from Jamba Juice. The dragon eyes are purple lychee things, and the cannet is orage pulpy thing. Not super descriptive, but I'll show you videos of them in a year and a half.

This Monday we sang the choir practice and I felt the spirit SUPER strong as we sang praise to the man in French. The song is super cool in French and I think I like it a bit more. It was just cool to sing it with like 120 other missionaries, in another language. Happy for choir. I also saw Carrefour. ITS HUGE. First time I've been in a store like that since Wally World. That was a nice pday thing.

Had a super cool Area Conference with the Area Presidency and some Seventies. It was good see via Sattelite from Australia.

I have lots to say, but little time to say it. Thats always how it its. Just know that I love you SOOO MUCH. I hope you guys are well and happy. Thanks for the support and for being my family. Dad, safe travels, and have fun. Mom and Eulalia and Cherise, enjoy the Subway :) I LOVE YOU!!!

ELDER LARSEN

PS

I am happy!

My new area.  Going fishing in a week or so for P-day. :)

This Week Was Crazy

Hey Family!

Thanks for the emails. This week was crazy. Almost all our key indicators were down by about fifty percent (not good) and I am POOPED due to a migraine yesteday. But I'm good. We had about 13 lessons fall through and taught 15. Not stellar for my area but OK. Things are still rainy, and we just had rough luck with the member present lessons. Things will be good this week though:) especially minus the migraine.

Forgot if I told you, I weigh 192 pounds. I have officially lost more than 50 lbs and I think I'm done. Luckily I got my temple belt now, so any baptisms, I'll still fit in my pants :) I promise I'm eating. I think the bike is causing the changing. I just hope that it stops soon, the pants are getting baggy... haha! Not gonna complain though, last time I weighed under 200 I was twelve. I promise I eat. Is that a healthy BMI at 6'5"?

Choir is good. Today we had the most serious practice yet and I really liked it. I am glad to be doing it, but sometimes it is tiring. P day GONE. Or at least nap time... :P Music has been really good though.

Transfers will be in a week or so. No idea if I'm moving or staying or if both me and Elder Christensen will stay. Will see soon. Officially four months in Heiri FAAA as of Thursday! Yay :) Oh and by the way AVACADOS ARE HUGE HERE!!! And really yummy

Thanks again for all your support. I am glad to remember that you guys care and watch out for me. I miss you all and I am pooped, but I'm doing OK. I am just hoping to do my best and to actually make a difference in some more peoples lives. I love the people here, and they need some help. I am understanding more and more about Dad and James and all the other good RM examples I've seen. Being on a mission is really cool, and really hard, but its really rewarding too. Love it, even if I'm tired :)

Have a good week and keep writing :) I got one letter from November like last week :) Missent to Thailand... lol Hope the package makes it ok :)

I LOVE YOU ALL

Elder Larsen

My Tahitian Needs Love

Hey Mom and Dad!

Thanks for the emails. Good to hear about my missionary friends, but more great to hear about my family :) Before I forget, I used an ATM and took 8 000 xpf out of checking. Should be arround 90 bucks. Had a problem with my church card so I used the visa in a pinch for groceries. I'll find out what the problem is this week. Just thought you'd wanna know that a purchase should be on the sheet. And yes I like choir.

This week has been good. We had a lot of rain the last few days, and a lot of cancelled lessons too. Not the best for the work. This week I think I gave 5 or 6 blessings too. That is really cool for me, but exhausting too. I gave one in half French half Tahitian, but it was really weak Tahitian. The brother in our ward speaks Tahitian WAY better than French but Marquesian is his first language. Got a reminder of how much love my Tahitian needs. FAAA is one of the most intellegent places in Tahiti, and one of the best places to use French. If and when I leave it, a LOT of Tahitian will come my way, ready or not haha. Elder Christensen is good at both. He served on Raetea I think. He's also been a really good friend too.

Sounds like the new ward is good! Michael's mom is awesome. Bummer dad won't be in Elders quorum with me anymore.... I thought that was fun. Did your preisthood like of athourity change? Wonder if you will ordain me a High Priest some day. Just cool.

The main problems with our investigators are drugs and marriage. I'm not a huge fan of writing an essay detailing my amis every week like some missionaries (progress report takes a long time anyways).  Also do they talk to you guys on Facebook? One said she tried. Anyway, thanks for the support. If you want to be involved the best way is to read 'Hastening the lords game plan' from the last GC, and make a family game plan like Elder Gifford Nielsen did. I would watch that, and then try and do little things for friends. Missionary work is a lot easier than FHE and Sacrament with friends. A lot of the time it is just being a friend for an investigator you'll already know. If the Stake missionaries have a Stake mission plan, THEY'D LOVE TO hear from you. Sorry it has not much to do with me, but if members here came to me, I'd be SOOOO Glad. Talk to the stake missionaries and share your game plan :) Prayer helps too :) thanks. 

Thanks for all your love and support. I love you so much and am glad to be here. I miss you all, but know I'll see you in 18 months. That's only a sister mission away, haha!

LOVE YOU!!!

Brigham

New Companion

Hey Mom and Dad. Thanks for the emails. Sorry last week was rough, but things are going OK now. 

I got a new comp.  I am with Elder Christiansen. Nice elder From San Diego. He is really smart and has been here since last January. Happy to have someone who is easier to communicate with. Yay!!! Either way I'm doing OK. I was down about [deceased cousin] a bit, and that just collided with a nasty interaction with some other Elders, and rough time with the trainee. Had a nasty two weeks. President helped me A LOT during interviews, and I am OK now. Thanks for the prayers and support. Struggles but not struggling. That describes it very well. Tell pres Finn Hi please. I really look up to him.

Last week we didn't have email time, because of PDAY choir practice... yup Dad, it still exists. It is only about fifteen min away from our place (ZLs pick us up) and all the missionaries from the main island sing together. It's been nice. I like singing with big groups.

Thank you everyone for the emails this week. I got tons and can't reply at all of them. THANKS for the mail too. Got a neat package from Grandmas Christmas party, and I got a card HUGE from the primary :) day made. Thanks guys. I love you all. I miss you guys, but it turns out I'm getting more and more used to Tahiti too. Hope I don't freeze to death back home :P I am liking the humidity more and more. I am sad to hear the ward got redrawn, but I know the church is still true, haha. That's just weird. Hope things are good in the new ward.

I LOVE YOU. Thanks for all your love. Email next week! :)

Elder Larsen

Rough Week

Hi all. Thanks for keeping me posted. I am really sad to hear the sad news. [Brigham's cousin passed away this week.  -Steve] I love him, and really hoped to get closer to him after my mission. I'll be ok. Send my love to the family.

 

This week's been rough.  I'm serving for now with a new Elder who is waiting for his visa to go to Vanuatu. I am still training, but its OK. We're in FAAA here still (yay! I really do like it) and everyone says sorry when they hear I serve here, haha. Its great! The people are so good. 

 

The first 12 weeks are over, and I hope things go OK this next period. Have no idea how long my new companion will serve here. I just want to help him.

 

Again I love you. I thank you for your prayers and emails, Mom and Dad. Sorry again to hear the sad news. 

 

I haven't gotten the xmas package yet, but thanks in advance.

 

I love you a ton! Thanks for all your support.

 

Brigham