Well Family and Friends,
I am happy to report another amazing week here at my home (aka the MTC) And what an amazing week it has been! I love all of the experiences I have had this week and will try to share some with you!
First the low points of the week... Last Wednesday our district finally got into get some shots, I got two. Getting the shots was fine, I have never reacted bad to shots before. But the next day... I woke up and my whole body was very sore. I tried to get out and do my normal routine, but was really achy and had an upset stomach. SO I went to sleep after gym, woke up and felt worse. At one point it even hurt to breath in. SO I went to the health clinic, they sent me to the Student Health Center (3rd time Ive been there now... first for myself though) I had to pee in a cup and they took my blood and the result of all that: I had an adverse reaction to the shot. What a waste of time! Oh well... I took some medicine and felt a lot better by that night. So my subject line, shots = may dii... May dii means no good...
I didn't let my sickness get me down and actually got a lot of studying in while I was in bed and waiting. Nothing is going to stop me from learning this crazy language!! I love it. In the midst of those trying moments, whether they be physical like on Thursday, or mental, I am consistently seeing the Lord strengthen me and refine me into the missionary he would have me be.
I heard a wonderful quote this week that I want to paraphrase because I didn't get the chance to write it down. It goes something like: You should look back gladly at each struggle you have every week. Those are the moments you are learning the most and those are the times that you are becoming who you are. I really know that the Lord blesses me in my struggles and watches over me at all times. I am striving to take each struggle I face every day and attack it head on with the promises I am given with my sacred calling as a missionary.
But don't get me wrong, missionary work is fun! The struggles are indeed but a small moment. Several times a day everyday I have many joyful experiences that are so sweet to me. I am especially grateful for the amazing district I am blessed to be in. I am serving the Lord along side 14 of the most amazing, valiant, diligent Elders and Sisters Thailand has ever seen.
My time here is running out... but we will all endure to the end, for we know we have a great work ahead of us. Now is the time for preparation and in two weeks I will be accounting for all that I say I believe in by my actions. Keep praying for me, and keep yourselves with an eye single to the glory of the Lord. He will never let you down!
I love you all soo soo much! Keep writing me because I know I won't be getting a lot of mail in Thailand. I really do want to hear from everyone. And huge thanks to all that have written me this week! It was great to hear from so many of you. I will try to write you back, but there is so much to do and so little time to write.
LOVE LOVE LOVE,
Melissa
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Two Beautiful Swords
Sawatdii Kha Family and Friends!
This week we learned Thai idioms and my favorite by far is the Thai version of slow and steady wins the race. Translated, it means: Do your work slowly and you will earn two beautiful swords! awesome!
It has been an absolutely incredible week here at the MTC. This place is really home to me (but Sac-town will ALWAYS be my real home) I realized on Sunday when we were walking back from our temple walk that when I will leave (which, don't get me wrong, I am way excited to!) I will REALLY miss this place! It will always be a place I hold dear in my heart. A place where I have grown so much and come so much closer to the Lord and to the gospel.
The friends I have made here are friends I will have the rest of my life. I have so much love for every single Elder in my district, as well as my two companions. Everyone of them impress me so much by there spirit and their dedication to the Lord and their willingness to be obedient. If there is one lesson I learned this week it is about obedience. I think I have always been a pretty good kid... in school and at church, I have always followed the rules pretty good... But I am finding now that I am yearning to be more obedient... I actually look for ways to be more obedient to the commandments and to the rules. I see the wisdom and promises that come from obedience and I KNOW how much I need those blessings.
Thank you to those of you who have been praying for me. I truly feel the prayers of my loved ones coming to me and strengthening me. I find that I am the happiest when I am constantly praying for every thing. And I pray for many of you by name.
Friday night we had the amazing opportunity to watch a DVD that was made for the missionaries in 2006. It showed so many fun pictures of Thailand places foods and everything. It's hard to believe that a place like that actually exists, and especially that I am going to be going there! Needless to say, it pumped all of us up a ton!! But the best part by far was the 7 straight minutes of picture after picture of missionaries with converts entering the waters of baptisms to a beautiful piano arrangement of If You Could High To Kolob. I was in tears at the end when I saw all those lives who were changing for the best. It reminded me of what my purpose truly is... to bring other unto Christ.
That DVD lit a fire inside of me that I promised the Lord I would never let die. All of my heart might mind and strength is turned to serving these people. I am the happiest when I can forget my self and remember why I am here. I really feel like I am the happiest I have ever been right now. I know the trials will come, but the Lord will never leave my side and I know that.
I love you all. I miss you all. In 2 weeks and 6 short days that will fly by, I will be on my way to the other side of the world. So write me one last time before I leave and make sure I have your addresses so that I can send you a post card. OK. love you all ever so much!
Can't wait to hear from you!!!
Love,
Sister Larson
This week we learned Thai idioms and my favorite by far is the Thai version of slow and steady wins the race. Translated, it means: Do your work slowly and you will earn two beautiful swords! awesome!
It has been an absolutely incredible week here at the MTC. This place is really home to me (but Sac-town will ALWAYS be my real home) I realized on Sunday when we were walking back from our temple walk that when I will leave (which, don't get me wrong, I am way excited to!) I will REALLY miss this place! It will always be a place I hold dear in my heart. A place where I have grown so much and come so much closer to the Lord and to the gospel.
The friends I have made here are friends I will have the rest of my life. I have so much love for every single Elder in my district, as well as my two companions. Everyone of them impress me so much by there spirit and their dedication to the Lord and their willingness to be obedient. If there is one lesson I learned this week it is about obedience. I think I have always been a pretty good kid... in school and at church, I have always followed the rules pretty good... But I am finding now that I am yearning to be more obedient... I actually look for ways to be more obedient to the commandments and to the rules. I see the wisdom and promises that come from obedience and I KNOW how much I need those blessings.
Thank you to those of you who have been praying for me. I truly feel the prayers of my loved ones coming to me and strengthening me. I find that I am the happiest when I am constantly praying for every thing. And I pray for many of you by name.
Friday night we had the amazing opportunity to watch a DVD that was made for the missionaries in 2006. It showed so many fun pictures of Thailand places foods and everything. It's hard to believe that a place like that actually exists, and especially that I am going to be going there! Needless to say, it pumped all of us up a ton!! But the best part by far was the 7 straight minutes of picture after picture of missionaries with converts entering the waters of baptisms to a beautiful piano arrangement of If You Could High To Kolob. I was in tears at the end when I saw all those lives who were changing for the best. It reminded me of what my purpose truly is... to bring other unto Christ.
That DVD lit a fire inside of me that I promised the Lord I would never let die. All of my heart might mind and strength is turned to serving these people. I am the happiest when I can forget my self and remember why I am here. I really feel like I am the happiest I have ever been right now. I know the trials will come, but the Lord will never leave my side and I know that.
I love you all. I miss you all. In 2 weeks and 6 short days that will fly by, I will be on my way to the other side of the world. So write me one last time before I leave and make sure I have your addresses so that I can send you a post card. OK. love you all ever so much!
Can't wait to hear from you!!!
Love,
Sister Larson
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Surprises, Adventures, and Reunions!
Well Family and Friends it has been quite the week here at the MTC!! UNFORTUNATELY Our little secret is not working, so I am under a time constraint while writing this letter... it's too bad because I have a lot to say!
Well, if you want more details, you are just gonna have to write me for them, and I PROMISE to write you back! (i just sent out 12 letters!!)
OK sooo Saturday is was the biggest day this week! First for SURPRISES: we were teaching our very first lesson in Thai (it actually went pretty well!) and the family that we were teaching has a son in Thailand right now who is the office elder and he told them... are you ready for this... WE ARE LEAVING ONE WEEK EARLY!!!!!!! This is huge! Our district is so ready though! We are learning the language at a much faster rate than the districts before us. AND we will learn 10 times more in Thailand than we would at the MTC. SO that was awesome news that we are all excited for! I will now be leaving AUGUST 10th!
Now for ADVENTURES: So one of the new sisters who came in this week had had an infection after getting her wisdom teeth out and took antibiotics for it. Well the infection was coming back, and since she didn't know where to go, I got to go with her to the health clinic. So we got to walk off campus, which I thought was really awesome! BUT! it gets better... She had to get a prescription so we got to GO OUT INTO THE REAL WORLD!!! hahaha. It was crazy. We went to the Rite Aid in Provo and I actually went into the store! Who knew stores and regular people still actually exist!! haha. So the craziest part was being in a public place with my tag. It hit me right then, wow, I am really representing something way bigger than I am. So with that experience, and knowing that I am now going a week earlier, that has really caused me to take it up a notch in both my language and spiritual preparation for Thailand.
I am SOOOO excited to get out there and teach this wonderful message!
OK... last but not least, REUNIONS: a big big thank you to Chris and Annie for coming to the 7am session this morning and having breakfast with me!! It was so fun to see them and they just brightened up my day! AND it's Annies bday, so Happy Birthday Annie!! Love you guys!
I am doing so so good here. The homesickness has lessened as the anticipation of getting out to Thailand increases! I love where I am, I love what I am doing, and I love ALL of you who are supporting me in this. I really couldn't do it with out you!
So PLEASE friends, keep writing me! Your letters all me so much, from every single one of you!!
I miss you, I love you, I pray for you
Love Love Love,
Melissa
Well, if you want more details, you are just gonna have to write me for them, and I PROMISE to write you back! (i just sent out 12 letters!!)
OK sooo Saturday is was the biggest day this week! First for SURPRISES: we were teaching our very first lesson in Thai (it actually went pretty well!) and the family that we were teaching has a son in Thailand right now who is the office elder and he told them... are you ready for this... WE ARE LEAVING ONE WEEK EARLY!!!!!!! This is huge! Our district is so ready though! We are learning the language at a much faster rate than the districts before us. AND we will learn 10 times more in Thailand than we would at the MTC. SO that was awesome news that we are all excited for! I will now be leaving AUGUST 10th!
Now for ADVENTURES: So one of the new sisters who came in this week had had an infection after getting her wisdom teeth out and took antibiotics for it. Well the infection was coming back, and since she didn't know where to go, I got to go with her to the health clinic. So we got to walk off campus, which I thought was really awesome! BUT! it gets better... She had to get a prescription so we got to GO OUT INTO THE REAL WORLD!!! hahaha. It was crazy. We went to the Rite Aid in Provo and I actually went into the store! Who knew stores and regular people still actually exist!! haha. So the craziest part was being in a public place with my tag. It hit me right then, wow, I am really representing something way bigger than I am. So with that experience, and knowing that I am now going a week earlier, that has really caused me to take it up a notch in both my language and spiritual preparation for Thailand.
I am SOOOO excited to get out there and teach this wonderful message!
OK... last but not least, REUNIONS: a big big thank you to Chris and Annie for coming to the 7am session this morning and having breakfast with me!! It was so fun to see them and they just brightened up my day! AND it's Annies bday, so Happy Birthday Annie!! Love you guys!
I am doing so so good here. The homesickness has lessened as the anticipation of getting out to Thailand increases! I love where I am, I love what I am doing, and I love ALL of you who are supporting me in this. I really couldn't do it with out you!
So PLEASE friends, keep writing me! Your letters all me so much, from every single one of you!!
I miss you, I love you, I pray for you
Love Love Love,
Melissa
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Another Crazy Blessed Week!
Family and Friends!!!
Oh my goodness... So many wonderful things to tell you all about! First off, I really really do love all of you who receive this letter. I know its kinda cheesy, but our teachers say we are missionaries and that we can be cheesy! as long as we are sincere :) so yes i love you all and would also love to hear from all of you!!!
Shout outs... there are a few. First to my awesome and special Bro Scott who finally wrote me and will be an amazing missionary! It's hard work Bro, I know you can do it with a solid testimony like you have. I am excited to hear about Jakes week too... and of course how Kurtis' BC experience is going. (don't get married bro... 17 months more)
ALSO to Brianne Roberts! Who surprised me with the most AMAZING and I really do mean A-MA-ZA-ING freshly baked cookies in the cutest box ever! :) Just receiving that cute package totally made my day! and the cookies just made it all that much better.
Aaaaaand Mike who sent me an awesome tape! I LOVED it!! I really felt like I was talking on the phone... minus the me talking part. I am excited to get my families soon! (MOM PLLLLLLLEEEEASE send me blank tapes, they don't have them here and I really want to respond to Mike- and you guys eventually).
And also Tony for giving me the most awesome Office quote and for finally writing me! :)
OK! So for my experiences of the week...
First of all, last Tuesday after the email I wrote we had the opportunity to clean the temple, which was awesome. It was amazing how much I could still feel the spirit even though it wasn't in session. We got to see the celestial room bare because they were adding decoration to the carpet, so that was pretty cool...
The devotional was awesome. Gerald Lund spoke and it got me really pumped to get out and work work work! AND I also got called as the Coordinating Sister! Which is like the Relief Society president for the sisters. I am sooo excited for this calling. I get to greet all the new sisters who come in every week and go to branch council meetings. So it's awesome because it is a break from the norm. We have 4 new sisters coming in this week (they are going to AZ and WA) so I made them all little signs welcoming them to the MTC and got them some treats! :) The first day can be rough saying bye to family and all, but hopefully I can help them to feel like this is where they belong. I am so excited for my calling.
The week went pretty smoothly. I feel like I am really getting the hang of it, and I feel like Utah is really my home (well home away from home) My new favorite thing to do is bearing my testimony in Thai to passer byers in the hall ways. It's so fun because I can say the most simple things that I have known since basically week one and missionaries say, woah... that sounds really cool!!! haha. It's a good way to build confidence! :)
Happy 4th of July all! It was really neat here at the MTC. And YES I did get to see fireworks. It was awesome, we stayed up 45 min late, and it was allowed! :) We started off the day by surprising the elders and decorating our class room with signs and streamers and balloons, the elders loved it! :) I had a hamburger for lunch, which was awesome. And there was a special fireside that night. It was very historic and made me miss being a student!! It was so fun to watch fireworks because I kinda felt normal for a minute... But realized I'm not when we started singing called to serve while they went off! haha. It was sooo fun.
Sunday was probably one of the best days I have had here because I got to go to all my coordinating sister meetings and was so cheerful all day. Because thursday was kind of a hard day for me, I fasted to be confident in myself and my abilities, and oh man were my prayers answered! I really felt like my confidence grew so much in just that one day. One thing I really enjoyed was the Sunday night fireside where the speaker said Obedience is not something we have to do that is holding us back, but rather Obedience is our quest and all blessings are predicated on it. It was a really powerful talk!
So on Monday the Phii-Thai's (phii means older) left for Thailand!! (They left last night and are still not in Bangkok! they will be there at 8:05pm MST) It was sad, but exciting. It made me realize (1) that I AM actually going to be leaving this place and REALLY need to work on the language and (2) that I am SOOO excited to get out to Thailand!! Crazy!
So since Sister O'Neil left, Sister Essma (my roommate who is going to Cambodia) is now my companion... which isnt really anything too new, because I still go to class and everything with sister young and sister akagi, but now the three of us have to make sure we walk with sister essma to class and meals and on Pday. Sister Essma is awesome!! and I will miss her so much when she leaves to Cambodia a week before we leave.
Alright, I saved the best story for last!! So yesterday I was at the RC (referral center... we make calls to confirm that people get their media offers they call or mail in for) and I have always been pretty weary about it. I am not a fan of receiving sales calls and know that some people may look at this as one (even though it obviously isn't because salvation is priceless ;)) But I really wanted to have a good experience so I prayed before and searched my scriptures for a good one I could share and came up with about 3. So I was calling calling calling and got a ton of answering machines. When finally this woman named Yolanda picked up.
I asked her if she had received her Finding Happiness through Christ DVD and she said she did but was too busy to watch it. I promised her that when she watched it and took time out of her life for God that she would be blessed, because my life has been blessed as I have done the same. And she agreed with me. We had a great conversation about Christ and I read her my scripture. She told me that she has been so stressed out lately and has been praying for some divine guidance to help her and told me she felt like I was answering her prayer!!
And the neatest part is that she really is so busy and was on a 15 minute break when I called or else she wouldn't have been able to answer the phone!!! I KNOW the Lord was answering her heartfelt prayers!!! She agreed to have the missionaries come and teach her more about how she can make Jesus Christ a bigger part of her life!! I pray for her every night and I put her name on the temple prayer rolls as well! :) Anyone who reads this and would like to pray for her, please do.
I just love this great message that God our Heavenly Father really, truly does love us! And that Jesus Christ IS the way back to him. Everything we do in life is leading us to that great moment when we stand before God and are let back into his presence. It is a reality to me.
I LOVE you all... I really do. Please write me and let me know how you are all doing. I hope you all know how much I really do miss you. I think about you often. I love this work though and wouldn't want to be anywhere but right here.
Please write!
Love,
Melissa
PS. I am now going to be going to the Tuesday 7am Temple session, so if anyone (CHRIS AND ANNIE) wants to come I will be looking for you!!!
Oh my goodness... So many wonderful things to tell you all about! First off, I really really do love all of you who receive this letter. I know its kinda cheesy, but our teachers say we are missionaries and that we can be cheesy! as long as we are sincere :) so yes i love you all and would also love to hear from all of you!!!
Shout outs... there are a few. First to my awesome and special Bro Scott who finally wrote me and will be an amazing missionary! It's hard work Bro, I know you can do it with a solid testimony like you have. I am excited to hear about Jakes week too... and of course how Kurtis' BC experience is going. (don't get married bro... 17 months more)
ALSO to Brianne Roberts! Who surprised me with the most AMAZING and I really do mean A-MA-ZA-ING freshly baked cookies in the cutest box ever! :) Just receiving that cute package totally made my day! and the cookies just made it all that much better.
Aaaaaand Mike who sent me an awesome tape! I LOVED it!! I really felt like I was talking on the phone... minus the me talking part. I am excited to get my families soon! (MOM PLLLLLLLEEEEASE send me blank tapes, they don't have them here and I really want to respond to Mike- and you guys eventually).
And also Tony for giving me the most awesome Office quote and for finally writing me! :)
OK! So for my experiences of the week...
First of all, last Tuesday after the email I wrote we had the opportunity to clean the temple, which was awesome. It was amazing how much I could still feel the spirit even though it wasn't in session. We got to see the celestial room bare because they were adding decoration to the carpet, so that was pretty cool...
The devotional was awesome. Gerald Lund spoke and it got me really pumped to get out and work work work! AND I also got called as the Coordinating Sister! Which is like the Relief Society president for the sisters. I am sooo excited for this calling. I get to greet all the new sisters who come in every week and go to branch council meetings. So it's awesome because it is a break from the norm. We have 4 new sisters coming in this week (they are going to AZ and WA) so I made them all little signs welcoming them to the MTC and got them some treats! :) The first day can be rough saying bye to family and all, but hopefully I can help them to feel like this is where they belong. I am so excited for my calling.
The week went pretty smoothly. I feel like I am really getting the hang of it, and I feel like Utah is really my home (well home away from home) My new favorite thing to do is bearing my testimony in Thai to passer byers in the hall ways. It's so fun because I can say the most simple things that I have known since basically week one and missionaries say, woah... that sounds really cool!!! haha. It's a good way to build confidence! :)
Happy 4th of July all! It was really neat here at the MTC. And YES I did get to see fireworks. It was awesome, we stayed up 45 min late, and it was allowed! :) We started off the day by surprising the elders and decorating our class room with signs and streamers and balloons, the elders loved it! :) I had a hamburger for lunch, which was awesome. And there was a special fireside that night. It was very historic and made me miss being a student!! It was so fun to watch fireworks because I kinda felt normal for a minute... But realized I'm not when we started singing called to serve while they went off! haha. It was sooo fun.
Sunday was probably one of the best days I have had here because I got to go to all my coordinating sister meetings and was so cheerful all day. Because thursday was kind of a hard day for me, I fasted to be confident in myself and my abilities, and oh man were my prayers answered! I really felt like my confidence grew so much in just that one day. One thing I really enjoyed was the Sunday night fireside where the speaker said Obedience is not something we have to do that is holding us back, but rather Obedience is our quest and all blessings are predicated on it. It was a really powerful talk!
So on Monday the Phii-Thai's (phii means older) left for Thailand!! (They left last night and are still not in Bangkok! they will be there at 8:05pm MST) It was sad, but exciting. It made me realize (1) that I AM actually going to be leaving this place and REALLY need to work on the language and (2) that I am SOOO excited to get out to Thailand!! Crazy!
So since Sister O'Neil left, Sister Essma (my roommate who is going to Cambodia) is now my companion... which isnt really anything too new, because I still go to class and everything with sister young and sister akagi, but now the three of us have to make sure we walk with sister essma to class and meals and on Pday. Sister Essma is awesome!! and I will miss her so much when she leaves to Cambodia a week before we leave.
Alright, I saved the best story for last!! So yesterday I was at the RC (referral center... we make calls to confirm that people get their media offers they call or mail in for) and I have always been pretty weary about it. I am not a fan of receiving sales calls and know that some people may look at this as one (even though it obviously isn't because salvation is priceless ;)) But I really wanted to have a good experience so I prayed before and searched my scriptures for a good one I could share and came up with about 3. So I was calling calling calling and got a ton of answering machines. When finally this woman named Yolanda picked up.
I asked her if she had received her Finding Happiness through Christ DVD and she said she did but was too busy to watch it. I promised her that when she watched it and took time out of her life for God that she would be blessed, because my life has been blessed as I have done the same. And she agreed with me. We had a great conversation about Christ and I read her my scripture. She told me that she has been so stressed out lately and has been praying for some divine guidance to help her and told me she felt like I was answering her prayer!!
And the neatest part is that she really is so busy and was on a 15 minute break when I called or else she wouldn't have been able to answer the phone!!! I KNOW the Lord was answering her heartfelt prayers!!! She agreed to have the missionaries come and teach her more about how she can make Jesus Christ a bigger part of her life!! I pray for her every night and I put her name on the temple prayer rolls as well! :) Anyone who reads this and would like to pray for her, please do.
I just love this great message that God our Heavenly Father really, truly does love us! And that Jesus Christ IS the way back to him. Everything we do in life is leading us to that great moment when we stand before God and are let back into his presence. It is a reality to me.
I LOVE you all... I really do. Please write me and let me know how you are all doing. I hope you all know how much I really do miss you. I think about you often. I love this work though and wouldn't want to be anywhere but right here.
Please write!
Love,
Melissa
PS. I am now going to be going to the Tuesday 7am Temple session, so if anyone (CHRIS AND ANNIE) wants to come I will be looking for you!!!
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