Try to post my letter to Bro. Zenger

I just typed a letter to John Zenger in Concord and thought that I would share some of it with ya'll, as it is an update of some of what we do.  So here goes

Dear, Dear Bro. Zenger,

How wonderful you are!  Yes, we are getting your letters and loving every one of them.  It’s the only mail we get except bills.  Our kids stay in touch with us by email.  They have also set up a family international blob.  I love that also.  I’ve finally learned how to send pictures over the internet.  Yea for me! 

We just love our mission!  The branch here is wonderful and so friendly.  Their names are practically all Christian names, such as Richard Milhouse Nixon, Dick Cheney, and my personal favorite Flintstone!  Not kidding!  They love the Lord here and just want to serve in any way they can.  They are so new in the church.  The branch has only been here since 1996.  They’re still learning how to function in their callings.  (just like me).  Our branch president is 29, single, and a new member of just 2 years.  He really wants to know how to do everything.  When Elder Larson (haven’t gotten use to that yet) meets with them, they just beg to be taught all that they should know.  They really think that he is so smart.  He has been taught by the Lord all of his adult life to know the administration of the church programs.  One day all of the good things you and Julie are learning can be used to help others learn as you serve a mission.

We are teaching missionary training lessons every Tue., Temple prep classes on Sundays, and starting next month, we are going to start branch training lessons on all church organizations and priesthood responsibilities.  We are now visiting 5 families of recent converts and teaching to them 8 follow-up lessons.  We are also suppose to start visits of inactives next week.  MERCY!

In addition to those responsibilities, we have humanitarian projects to perform.  The couple before us left us @ 5 projects to finish.  We have started 2 of our own.  One is very small, a small stone walking path for a home of the handicapped.  It is actually being handled by the senior couple on the other side of the island.  We just have to do all of the paper work,  The other project that we have started is a vision project in the south of Borneo in the city of Kuching.  We are also going to start a new water project soon and the church water specialist is coming from the states to help us on that.  Elder Larson is very good at details and this really helps when you do these projects.  He is so busy right now that he asked me to handle an assignment from our boss in Hong Kong.

Elder Sackley is our boss and he and his wife were with us 3 days last week, training us.  He told us that one of our major responsibilities is to prepare and have an emergency plan for the missionaries, members, and meetinghouses in East Malaysia.  It’s our responsibility since we are the humanitarian missionaries on the island.  OH BOY!  I figure that others before us had the same task, so what did they do?  I’m in the process of finding out and trying to form our committee and implement it.  You never know, especially since Indonesia next door is exploding every day!  I use lots of explanation points in describing life here.

We miss ya’ll and our wonderful friends and neighbors.  Please tell everyone “hello and lots of love” for us.  Kim keeps us informed.  We’re so grateful for her and Russell-they’re wonderful.                                 Love, E/S Larson

YEA YEA, I did it!  Hope you enjoy.  I forgot to tell you that the pic of Dad and our 2 sister missionaries was taken at night at a bus stop near a kampung that we just came from.  The sisters are so good!  Sis. Zafar is from Pakistan and she's a really go getter.  Sis. Renit is from Kuching, here is E. Malaysia.  She is soooo sweet and gentle and loves to laugh. 

Let me see if I can add a pic or two.                      Love E/S Larson
The 1st pic is of David Chong putting a tie on for this Bro who had a stroke and can't do it himself (the gospel in action!  The 2nd is of KK from Acthinson Pt. It really is beautiful here.  The 3rd is the sign in a restaurant that says "Don't spit on the floor"  It's in all restaurants!