December 13, 2010

Dear Family!

 It sounds like there had been alot going on this past week, alot of fun activities planned and alot of relaxing on Dad and Moms part. I like those stories that you had shared as well as the parables dad... very nice!!! It sounds like tucker is having a fun, but challenging time in England, but i guess that is just the mission. Hans didnt seem to wirte a whole lot this week, i hope that he is doing good and having good experiences.

This week has been a little different, just like how it always is when you get changed to another area. Like you all know, i am in Las Flores. My companion, Elder Espinoza, is from Peru, and he lives close to Piura, or in that provincia i belive. He has very little time on the mission, a little more than 2 months, but he is very prepared and knows alot. He has 3 sisters and his parents, with 1 nephwe and a neice. that is pretty much my companion. He is cool and he likes to work hard. I think that we will do some good work here in Las Flores this transfer.

About Las Flores... It is a smaller town out in the middle of nowhere. It is surrounded by campos (fields). It takes us 2 hour by bus to get to the rest of the zone. I like it alot here. I havent seen a place like this yet in my mission. The place that i am in is very rich. Almost everybody has a car and the houses are quite large. the people are a little harder to talk to but there are still poeple willing to listen, we just have to look harder. The town isnt all that big, but it isnt super small. I can tell you all one thing, it is very different than all the other places that i have been to. For example, you could never leave anything out in my other areas or it would get stolen. Here in Las Flores people leave there bikes out and the cars running... it is very strang.
In church there was only 16 people including my comp and myself. I had to give a talk with very short notice and i dont think that it made much sense. Then i also gave a sunday school class about eternal marraige. That, however, i did prepare for and it turned out really good i thought. I guess the work is kinda slow in Las Flores, but i want to try to change that while i am here. There are some awsome investigators and there are some awesome recent converts that help us alot, so i am excited for my stay here in Las Flores, and hopefully i can make the best out of this experience and that i can help this little branch out.

I have not tasted real mate here. It is actually against the rule because i guess that there have been misionaries that have gotten sick from it that they banded it. The people also drink mate alot here, so i heard that if we were allowed to drink mate, alot of missionaries would waste time drinking mate with the people. I did try it at home with Erik, it kinda tasted like hay, but i didnt have any sugar in it. It is a tea but it is ok to drink.

The weeks are going by way too fast. I cannot believe how fast time is flying by. I always tell my comp that and he doesnt believe me because he has litle time. I cannot tell that it is Christmas here. I am not sure why not though. time is going by way fast and her it is getting a little warmer and the spirit of Christmas doesnt seem as strong as it does inthe states... i dont know. It could be that time is just running into itself and there is no way to track it, so it doesnt seem like Christmas should be arriving yet.

Other than that, thank you for the CDs and the pictures of Christ. the pictures are very beautiful. Those are some amazing artists with quite the gift of painting.

I love you all and i hope that you all have a wonderful week!!! I hope that little Mons gets better and that he doesnt have anymore seizures. I hape that Alesha finds comfort in in the Gospel through these rough times and i hope that everybody is well and has the company of the Spirit always!!! My prayers are with you all and i love you all!!! Hasta la proxima!!!! (Until next time!!)

Love Elder LARSON!!!!!
;)

December 6, 2010

Esas son algunas fotos que he sacado. Igual no tengo muchas, pero quiero sacar más. En mi nuevo area, espero que pueda yo sacar ma´s fotos porq is más tranquilo que mi otras areas. espero que les gusten!!!!!!

These are fotos that i have taken. It was hard to take them in my other areas because i couldnt ever walk around with my camera. i hope that you like these and i hope i will be able to take more in Las Flores.

Dear Family!!!

 To start off, that sounds good dad, use that as the talk. And congrats dad on you goals for indexing!! That is great!! I am glad that everybody is doing well and thank you all for the birthday wishes!!!! I t doesnt feel any different being 20 only that i slep bad last night and i woke up today with an achy back... but all is well!!

This last week was interesting... there was some people that didnt like us very much and we had to move. on top of that we didnt have any light in the pension becuase the bill never arrived at our door and the company literally cut our lights. Then to make things more complicated, my comp had to go to a training thing because he is going to train a new missionary. So i was with another elder this whole last week practically and we were moving pensions. It was a pretty crazy week, very different from the usual but that is alright.

I do have to say that Erik was right. I got moved from the area that i was in. I am now in a place called Las Flores. It is one of the smallest towns in the mission and it is the furthest area to the west that you can get. I am super excited because everybody tells me that it is really calm and everybody knows each other. I am super excited to be in this area, i havent actualy seen it yet but i shall see it soon. I have to take a bus for about 2 and 1/2 hours. I think that it is really cool though and i am super excited!!!! My new comp is from Peru. He seems really cool and  all of the other peruanos that i have met are all really cool, so this should be a fun transfer. His name is espinoza and he is from the place where Justin Leach served. I asked my comp and he said that he didnt know Justin. My comp has only 2 months in the mission so this will be really cool to have him as a companion.

Other than that there isnt much going on... I shall update next week on my new area and my comp. I like that everybody is doing well over ther and that there arent any major problems. It sounds like erik is getting everything figured out with him and alesha!!! that is awesome!!! I want to thank you too for the package!! that was awesome!! I love all of the treats in the box and the ties are really nice too!!! Thank you sooo much!!! I love you all and i hope that everything goes well for everybody!!! Only a couple more weeks until i get to talk to you all!!! I love you all and my prayers are with you all!!!!

Love

Elder Shane Larson

November 29, 2010

Dear Family!!!!!!!!

 How is everybody doing!!! I hope that everythin is going well!!! it sounds like it is getting pretty cold up there!! It sounds like ryan is doing good with the family and all the animals and everything!!!! the sniper trainers licence sounds pretty cool and that now he can teach that kind of shooting. It sounds like erik and alesha are doing well and the kids are going to come and visit!! that will be fun. That is also a very impressive story that Kirsten has about that man that has a baptismal date. That is very good, help bringing the sheep unto the fold!!!!

This week was the same pretty much. There are still the 4 elders in the pension and one of them is leaving because he is ending his mission here this next week. Also i have got word that i am going to be leaving Mayol next week, on my birthday. My comp is going to be training so that means that i am leaving to another place. I  like moving around and seeing the area, the only thing is that i wont get to see the potential baptism cantidates get baptized when they are preapared. However, this is the life of the mission and the Lord has work for me in another area. I am not sure where i will be going but i will find out on Saturday.

We went out to work and we were able to go back to that one lady and have another lesson with her. She is a really nice lady and she understands things well. She reads the book of mormon and prays, but she doesnt understand that the church is the only church on earth that has the athority to act in God´s name. She doesnt see why she would have to change religions when what we talk about is basically what she hears in her church, the catholic church. I have faith that she can grow, she only needs to let the Spirit work in her a little bit more.

On sunday, my comp and i gave the principios del evangelio class. It was on the 2nd coming of Christ. I love topics like that, that are absolutely great and they get me really excited for some reason. 

Other than that, we had a very interesting lesson with a lady that thought she knew all about how we manage ourselves with money and what not, and how we need to pay the Vatican in order to be here. I was not sure what the Vatican had to do with anything, be we quickly ended that lesson and left because she was too focused on money and us being in Arg, than the gospel message. It was kinda funny because my comp got angry and was petty much yelling at this lady... but oh well. That was another reason that we had to end early, because my comp and her were starting to yell. hahaha

We had some good lessons this past week. Sadly, we havent been able to find a whole lot this last week, but we hope for the best this next upcoming week!(my last week ion Mayol)

Thanksgiving doesnt exist here, so there was no festivities or anything of that nature. It was pretty chill and relaxed. Last week i went on exchanges with an elder named Elder Brady Wanlass. He is really cool and he wrestled in my same weight class in high school. He is super super funny!!! It was a good exchange and i was able to learn from him and from our experiences together. 

Christ is the Savior of the World. He is the Good Shepherd and is the big Brother of us all. It is very hard to understand what he had to go through when he suffered for our sins, but it being Christmas time, it is good to focus on His birth and Life. Through His ministry He showed all the correct path. He was perfect and still is perfect at the right hand of God. He has power to cure us of all injury, affliction, or suffering. He is willing to do this all for us because He loves us soo much, and the only thing that He asks us is to follow Him. I know that my Savior lives and that He loves each and every one of us, His brothers and sisters. Through His atonement we can live again with the Father and our families and i know that through Him we can have peace and be happy! It is truly a blessing to be part of the Church of Christ and to know Him better. 

I love you all and i you are in my prayers!!! I hope for the best for all of you!!!

Love Elder Larson

ps. i dont think that that is a good talk (above). I know that Christ lives and loves us, and that the power of living the gospel can change us and we can become perfect in Him. I love my Savior and i wish that i can do better to be an example of Him.

November 22, 2010

Family!!!

 I dont have much time this week because my comp and i did a service for a member today and we came back a little later than we expected, plus it is a "new" holiday here, and we couldnt find a place to write. But to answer your question mom, there is not thanksgiving here, and i dont know if i will celebrate it at all... but we will have to see. It is raining very hard right now, and the humidity that has been here has been pretty strong.

That is sad to hear about Sis. Evans, but i guess it was her time to go back to our Father in Heaven. I did know Brett a little bit because he pole vaulted with me his last year. But it sounds like everything is going well up there!! There is no changes in my mission yet. In Two weeks there will be transfers and we will see what happens. I have a feeling that my comp will leave and i will stay here. That is really cool that Hans is goin to be Zone Leader!! Que Bueno!!!!! That is awesome and that is really a great experience and responsibility!!! I hope that you can fulfill your goal dad!!!! That would be awesome!!! Keep up the good work!!!! Tell Jack congrats for me!!! He sounds like a stud to me. Keep up the good work Jack!!!

This week went kinda slow. These past couple of weeks have been pretty hard... but, thanks Hans, your words are inspiring!!! I dont like to be down and i dont think that there is any reason to be sad or discouraged if you can be happy and optimistic. There are different situations that we are put in. I was thinking the other day that there is no reason that i have to complain about anything. I have been extremely blessed in my life. All the experiences that i have had, you all as my family and the opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I dont know how much more i coupld have, and it is really a shame to be complaining about minute things, not saying that i complain alot. I hope that you all dont have to hear me complain... but as members of the True Church of Jesus Christ, we are truly blessed to an extent that, at many times, we dont realize it, or at least sometimes i dont. I havent got any packages mom, but i wont be able to recieve a package until the 6th, thats when we have transfers!!!! So that will be cool because i think that i will get it on my brithday!!!

We walked alot this last week. I dont have much time to send photos, but i will try the next week!! I have gotten darker, as in tan because we walk so much in the sun and i think that i have lost a little weight. I am not completely sure, but i think that i have, at least i hope.

 The weather is crazy!!! It is raining super hard here again!!! it is way crazy!! ther was soo much rain and it starts without a whole lot of warning, plus nobody teels us when it is going to rain or not. However, the humidity can kinda tell you when the rain is going to come because it was pretty humid this last week. I am not sure what the fireworks are that they make and throw into the air, i think they must be like firecrackers... but there have been a couple of firework places that i have seen here as well, so we will seewhat they shoot off. 

I love you all!! I hope that you are all safe and well!!! I want to add on to whatever the high priest councilors said, that the Book of Mormon is an amazing book that really changes peoples lives. Right now i am reading in 3 Nephi in chapters 11-20. These are where Christ had come to the Americas. I will tell you one thing, that i would absolutly love to see Christ in a way that the Nephites had seen Him. I was thinking about when he first arrived in the Americas, in chapter 11. I thought about how it would be like. I thought if i would feel worthy enough to stand next to him and feel his plams and feet and sides, or what would i do... would i ask him something or would i be soo amazed that i couldnt talk? I can only imagine. The Book of Mormon is the truest book in the world. It is very crucial that we read the Book of Mormon. I love it!!!! I hope that you all can enjoy feasting upon the wonderful words found in this amazing book.

I love you all and i hope that you are all doing well!!!! Keep safe!! I am always praying for you!! I love you and may God bless all of you!!!

Love,

Elder Shane Larson

November 15, 2010

Hey Family!!!

 It is currently rainingright now like what dad said it would do. It is pretty cool becuase there is lighting that is making a cracking thunder!!! It seems to be pretty close, but there are no worries.

Wow, it sounds like dad had a pretty busy week there and mom I am sure it wasnt that boring :) I do miss the temple. that is something that i am not able to do down here for now... hopefully by the end of my mission I will be able to go through the Buenos Aires Temple!!! They are still redoing it, and it wont be open until about October of next year.That is so great that you were able to go to the temple dad and help all those people who cant help themselves right now!! That is cool too how you saw alot of people from the stake!!

That football game sounds pretty intese too by the way. I didnt know what was going on iin that leadership training thing, excpt that everbody hasnew manuals now. It seems to me, maybe i am wrong, but there are alot of changes in the church having to do with using the Spirit and strrengthening all the members. When i hear things like this i cant help but to think that the time is getting shorter and shorter.

ABout the Día de los Muertos, i am not sure that they have it here, i dont think so though because nobody has celebrated it or anything. Here, I hear, Christmas is really crazy. Everybody throws their own handmade fireworks/bombs in the air and they all like to get drunk and party. i dont think that it is going to be anything like up there.

About the work herein Mayol B, like i said, i think, it is getting kinda tough. The investigators that we have are progressing pretty well and they are learning alot, the only thing that they dont do is go to church. This is absolutely necessary if they want to get baptized. We have walked quite a bit this last week. I think that i have lost some weight, or at least i hope that i have!!!!That is a good story that Forrest had, and i would use that to help, but the area book is only part fully useful to me, because i  helped to re-open the area and almost all the people that are in the book i have either taught them or have gone by. However, i think that there may be a few that we could pass by still.

There was a really good lesson that we had this week. Missions across the world are changing to focus on the needs of the investigators. This week we had a lady that we found with her husband. She seems like she know a bit about religion and she is catholic. So the first lesson we talked about Joseph Smith and gave them a Book of Mormon and left with a return appointment. When we arrive for the return appointment, the first thing that she told us after we entered into the house is that it wasnt going to be a long appointment. We were kinda taken back. She said she read and said a prayer, therefore, what was the problem? She that she thought it was like the Bible, that the names were changed but that the religion wasnt very different from the catholic. She said that the Joseph Smith story was different but other than that, it wasnt much different. But, we sat there and we talked to here. We helped her with her doubts and her problems and we left there with her thinking... plus she told us to come back another day. I had felt the Spirit soo much in that lesson and i felt that we went there and really helped her feel the spirit and understand more of the Gospel. I felt really good after that lesson.

That was a very good highlight of my week!!! Thank you to everybody that writes!!! i have been greeatly blessed in my life!!!! I hope that all is well and that you, mom and dad, are feeling good and staying active!!! Yay!!!! That is the way to go!!I love you all and I hope for the best blessings upon all of you!!! I just had a thought dad, when you are look at those pictures and thinking about you and mom  and the family, in really comforts me to know that the happiness that the family brings doesnt end in this life, but continues through the eternities!!!I love you all and i hope everybody is safe and that hans is having fun!!!! Love You!!!!

Love,

Elder Shane Larson

November 8, 2010

Family!!!

 There was alot to read this week, but i am happy about that!! I thank you all for  your support and for the letters!! It sounds like everything is going pretty well, i am really happy that all of you are doing well and there are not any problems or anything.

First off, I live in a place called Florencio Varela. i am sure that you will be able to find that place. If not, look for Quilmes and i am just south west of that. it is raining right now and has cooled off alot since yesterday. It was pretty hot and humid yesterday. I took a shower at night and i wasnt able to stop sweating for a long while... no me gusta.

That is pretty cool the experiences that Forrest has had from the mission and about that 50 year old man. It sounds like everything is good in the young mens with the turkey shot and all. Tell Jack i say congrats for being the region champ!!! that is pretty cool and it sounds like they will go far this year. That is a very interesting story from brother George. I would like something like that to happen, it would be very special, but then again it is not my will.

That is very true that the work brings the Spirit. I think that I feel the Spirit the most when i share my testimony. When i a person needs the Gospel and i can relate it to them in a way that they can feel the Spirit, which is generally through testimony or scripture, is when i feel the Spirit a  whole lot.Genealogy work too becaue it is part of missionary work. Look inPreach my Gospel and the is a quote by Pre. Kimball in chapter 9 i think that is somethign like " I wish that members would disoolve the artificial boundary between missionary work and temple work because they are both the same great redemptive work." something like that. This work is the most important on earth, therefore we will feel the spirit when we engage in it. However, i must agree, I feel the Spirit very strong when i read the scriptures. In fact, scripture reading changes my day. I am not sure sometimes if i feel the Spirit when i read but i am sure that he is there. I will tell you one thing though, those days when i have a good spiritual personal scripture study, i have a better day in general, ad nothing seems to get me down really.

I thought that is was interesting what hans was saying keeping records... it states that we need to keep records in several places in the scriptures and hans has given a good example of why we need to in the mission. Another good reason is to do genealogy work. If nobody kept any records, we wouldnt have any scriptures, which is another thing that is interesting because i like to write in my journal, maybe one day my kids will look at it as if it were scripture to them in their missions.

there was a story about sunday though... right before 2nd hour, i was asked if i could give the class. I said yes and i later found out that it was on the Mundo de los Espíritus. So i started and finished in about 15 minutes with about another 35 minutes to spare. With the help of another missionary i was able to extend the lesson and talk about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how we can end up in either prison or paradise. It was funny because i told the class that there was nothing left and that we were going to review what we just learned... so i went over the lesson and then we reviewed it. hahaha kinda embarrassing but fun ;P

That story about that dead person was pretty intense too....

I am good here! Nothing big going on. There were some people that i met this last week that i really love talking to and being around. they are from paraguay and are just the nicest people. The lady let us in here house as if she knew us forever and the husband was as equally friendly. I really hopw th at they will progress in the church because they are sooo sweet I wouldnt want them not to be enlightened by the truth. We were very blessed with many people to talk to this week. I am not sure why the Lord gives me soo many blessings in my life, it has been that was since i have been born, but with alot of belssing, there is alot of responsibility and that is what i need to work on this week i think.

Keep reading the Book of Mormon dad!!!! It brings many many blessings and keeps us out of dangers way!!! are you and mom reading it together??? For christmas i was thinking, i would like pictures to show everybody what you all look like!!! that can be what you send me!! I love you all, and i hope you are all safe!!!! My prayers are with you!!

Love,

Elder Shane Larson

November 1, 2010

hey Family!!!
Starting from the beginning of the week, we didnt do much. i had to go to the offices becuase my comp was in the offices before and he was called to help with some computer stuff. I, however, got the priviledge to water the plants in the church building where the offices are. It was kinda fun, and afterwards, the financero took my comp and i to lunch. That was pretty good. 

Tuesday i had intercambios with an Elder named Elder Champlin from Logan Utah. He is was cool and with him i was able to set a baptismal date with one of our investigators. That was pretty exciting!!

Wednesday there was a census and we had to stay in for the morning until the person came to do the census. After that we spent some time getting to know the Bishop and his family better and helping fix the ward list.
Thursday was just a normal day. We did contacts and we found a guy that says that he wants to change. he is from bolivia and has been living here for 10 years. the thing is that he has an addiction to alcohol and maybe drugs. We will try to work with him and help him overcome these problems.

Friday was also the same. It was rainging and i dont like the rain here. the reason for that is because there are roads that are dirt and the isnt fun when you have to walk all day in muddy roads. I dont mind it a whole lot but we usually walk around the whole day wet, and many people dont like to anwer their doors when it is raining outside.
Saturday we had a baptism!!! this was the first time that i was able to baptize somebody. It was a young lady named Rut (ruth in english). Her parents are really weird, if not literally crazy. Her mom want to start her own church and her dad thinks that he is a prophet. She however was looking for the truth and has found it!!! She had to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. She has a very strong testimony abot the church and so this saturday was really special. Later on in the day we went to visit a family that has 4 kids that have baptism goals. When we got there the day told us to come in, but after we started walking up to the house door, the mother came out and she was crying, telling us that we needed to come back another day. The dad was drunk and i dont know if he was beating the wife or verbally abusing her, but the situation wasnt good at all. We had a little lesson with the kids outside but i felt really sad. that is absolutely horrible, but i dont know what i could do..


Sunday was good. Rut was confirmed and i gave a talk about missionary work. I didnt think that i wsa very clear in the talk but the members said that i did a good job...  i hope so hahaha I was feeling sick though during the day and i didnt sleep too well last night. There was/is something wronng with mi estomago.

That is very intersting that you bring up the point about reading the Book of Mormon dad. There is absolutely no way that someboday can gain a testimony of the church without reading the Book of Mormon. I was reading in Helaman today, and it was talking just about that, Reading the scriptures changes somebody... especially by reading the Book Of Mormon. the scripture is Helaman 15 i think it is 7, 8, and 9. It talks about reading the scriptures makes you obtain faith in Chirst and then repent and change until your heart changes. I hope that everybody is doing alright and that it is nice abd calm this week...

the funny story this week is that i stepped in a sanja. a sanja is an open sewer that lines the street. I disnt see it becuase we were walking at night and it was convered with grass. I stepped in and thus breaking a goal i had of never stepping in a sanja.

I love you all and i pray for you all!!! Please be safe and i hope that you all have a good week!!!
Keep up the good work Hans!! It might get a little harder this winter but the Lord will put those that are prepared in your path!!

Con Amor
Elder Shane Larson

October 25, 2010

Hey Family!!!

Wow, quite the letters this week. To answer some of your questions dad: the kids can go and get free college. I am not sure what the trend is, if they like going to school or what. I do know that alot of them drop out and then it is hard for them to get a job, so there are alot of people that are taking high school classes that are older. It is interesting. I am not sure what my favorite food is... i like the ice cream here, itis really good. The empanadas are really good and also the pizza. You can find a walmart here and there are american foods, but these foods are really expensive! I am not sure if i can speak fluid... i really hope i can! that is for sure!!! I can speak to anybody about many things and i can understand alot of stuff. I think that i can do better on my spanish, or at least my vocab. I think that is the downfall that i have is that i need to learn more vocab. I have a study session in spanish, but i dont study in spanish. I will read in spanish to help me on the pronunciation and stuff during my spanish study, but during the personal study I read in english to use it effectively and understand everything that i read the first time.

This week went pretty good. I think that this next transfer will go good!! My comp and i are together another transfer. He is from Utah, a place called Pleasant Grove. He comes from a family of 7- him, his parents and 4 brothers that are all younger. He has only 9 months left on the mission.

We went and did service in the Bishop´s warehouse because the warehouse is in our area. It was fun and we did alot of good work. at the end, i weighed myself... uh oh... let see i think i gained a little weight. I dont know though becuase i dont look that much bigger if i look bigger at all. I weigh a good old 89 kilos now. If any of you are daring you can convert that into pounds and see how much i really weigh. hahah

We will have abaptism coming up here the next week and hopefully we will have serveral this month. I dont know, but the Lord has really blessed us this last week that is for sure. We are pretty excited!! it seems to me that the Lord lets us go through trials so that we can put more faith in him and then He blesses us when we show him that we are willing to move forward in the work. we have definitly seen some of the blesses here in Mayol!

I am super happy to have heard from Kirsten! That is awesome that she is doing good!!! I have alot of missionary friends that are from St. George. so that is very cool. It sounds like the place is nice and that she has a good idea of where she wants to go and do. I also sounds like she is being the best example for those areound her, just like i have always imagined she has been!!

Tell Erik I say HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that is cool... another year older and wiser too. hahah that is pretty cool though the big 23.. soon and Hans and I will be turning 20. I cannot believe that time is going by sooo fast. This sounds crazy but in 2 more months i will be talking to you all. it is quite nuts.

To let mom know... i wasnt so much fustrated but i learned a very valuable lesson. Especially because we are here on earth to be happy. it is funny, but very simple... Do what you are supposed to, be happy. thats about all...hahaha

Bueno, that is all for this week!! I hope that everybody is  doing good and that everybody is safe!! I pray fro you all always!! LOVE YOU!!!!!!

CON AMOR

elder Larson

October 20, 2010

Hey Family!!

 This last week was a pretty hard week. You all know that i have my new companion and he is really cool. The first week we worked reaññy hard and we saw the fruits of our labors. This last week was way hard. They changed a few things in the misison and our it seemed soo hard last week to do the work. I dont know, but hardly anybody would listen to us and we werent teaching a whole lot. It was horrible. My comp got really sad because he thought that it was because he wasn´t a good enough missionary- but i know that this is not true!!! He is  a good missionary. It is interesting though how the work works. I think that we just need to be of good cheer and tryinbg our hardest. I am not completely sure, but i have gained a stronger testimony of having hope. Well, I hope that we do better things this week ;P. Actually, i figured, it doesnt help anything if you arent happy. If you are not happy, then change, or change the situation so that you can be happier. I like to relate hope to being happy. For example, This last week was hard, especially for my comp. He wasnt very happy for a while because he thought he was the problem. It wasnt him though, but he didnt realize that. He was sad, but if we are sad and depressed about something, we arent looking for what could happen in a situation. We are just focused in the bad. at times the adversary wants us to be focused in the bad of things so that we cant reach our full potential or so that we are soo focused and worried about the bad we dont allow ourselves to overcome the weakness. I will tell you one thing though, if we are happy, and we all know that happiness comes from  living obidient lives, then the things that we want will happen. WHen my comp got out of his sad mood ws a little happier we started top see a little more success. It is very interesting. We are kinda telling our Father in Heaven that we are going through tough times, but we still believe that he is there and we have the hope that He will make things better as long as we endure. A good lesson learned.

Other than that, i made a bus stop because i got coins stuck in the machine in the front. It was really funny and an older lady behind me said that i was learning.. hahaha

Another weird thing that happened is that the other elders found a parrot in the back yard. so we kept it for a while until we asked the lady behind us and it was hers. I think i almost fell in the bus and this last sunday we got to stand up and sing with the primary!! My comp pulled a prank on me and put shaving cream on my face when i was sleeping... that was pretty funny... i think that is about it for the funnies.

Another really cool thing that happened this week is that we have an investigator that recieved a very strong testimony. She was able to kneel down and say a pray by herself. when she said this pray, in the way God wants us to say prayers instead of her own way, she said she finished and asked sincerly if the book of Mormon is of God and she told uis that she believes that the book is true and what we teach is true. That the church we represent is from God. It was soo awesome to hear this!!! It is very interesting too, because her mother want to make her own church and her dad thinks he is a prophet.,, But she will be baptized the 30!!

Other than that... i think that Elder Godoy is from where i am at now or where i was at... it is interesting but i think that he is from my mission. Hans sounds good and soo does the fam. That makeas me happy. Dont worry about your emails, they are all good dad. I will send pics next week!!! I hope that everything is going good with everybody!! I love you all!!!!!!!!! Be safe!!! I pray for all of you!!!!!

Love,

Elder Larson!!!!

Thanks for the letters mom and grandma and dad!!!

October 11. 2010

Hola Familia!!

This week was interesting. General Conference was going really well and i loved it of course. Like Hans ans Gabe said, it flew by this year. I didnt get it see all of it, but the parts that i did see went by super fast. I watched mostly in spanish but i like watching it in english becuase i can take better notes.

So this last Saturday my comp got a call from the president. We were going to have another emergency transfer. My comp moved from Mayol, where i am at right now, to a plac called El Carmen. I recieved Elder Boyer from Utah, Pleasant Grove. He is the oldest of 5, and had just come from the offices. It has been interesting working this week. We wanted to find more people in the area and we eventually did. Also, something really cool that happened this week is that this young lady that we are teaching recieved a testimony and she will probable be baptized this month. I am being really blessed right now in Mayol. We are working hard and the Lord is really blessing us.

I cannot believe that all that has happened. That Hall kid is playing for the Cards now and Marcus Wheaton is starting for Oregon... that is nuts. I am not sure what else there is to write... I am a little boring. The mission work is progressing alot here in Mayol and i am staying safe. i am really learning how to enjoy meeting people and talking to them. I hope that everybody is doing well there. Also that everything goes well with Mom and her MRI and what not.

I was reading Hans´ letter and he said that he was sorry for being a hassle in the house... Let me tell you what. Hans wasnt half as a hassle as i was and i would like to day that i am sorry. I am learning alot here on the mission and i hope that you all are learning alot at home. I cannot belive that erik is going to move to Utah. in the valley right? To tell you the truth, i will have a lot of friends living next to Hans and Erik after the mission because all the missionaries are from Utah... It is really interesting.

I hope that everything is going well and that everybody is healthy!! How are the grandparents doing?? The brotheres and sisters? I love you all!!! My prayers are always with you!!! Hopefully I will ahve some fun stories to tell this next week!!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!

Elder Larson

Con Amor

October 4, 2010

Hey Family!!!
So this week went really good!!!! I absolutley loved conference but i didnt get to see all of it. I arrived late almost every single session and i didnt get to see the last session. I had to leave my area to see it, which isnt too far away, buti had to look for investigators for a couple sessions which doesnt help me on the time issue.


There has been a few interesting things that happened this week. By the way, Hans sounds like a capo!!! (Capo means stud) Dang!


Well to start off, last week one of the elders from my pension got emergency transfered to another area and we recieved a different missionary. That was a different change that we had and it is been a little different without Elder Knighton, but oh well. He was the tall one. This week there is another emergency transfer. My comp is going to be leaving today and heading east of here. He was a really fun companion and we have worked pretty hard together. He has been here in this area since he has arrived and he arrived with me pretty much. It is good that he gets to leave and see more of the area and help spread the Gospel in other parts. I will be getting an elder that was in the offices. His name is Elder Boyer and he is from Utah, but i dont know much more than that. We will seee how things will go.


A ver, We have some baptisms coming up here soon so that is exciting!! One of our investigators told the other elders that she feels good in church and that she thinks it is right. She had these feelings when she was listening to conference.


Think week a drunk tried to steal my watch and i took my hand away. Then he got in my face so i gave him 2 pesos( 50 cents) and we walked away. I really didnt like that though, but oh well they are drunk. There are alot of drunks here and you have to be careful around them.

We found 4 kids that want to be baptized and they will be baptized the 16 of October. We also have another investigator that told other missionaries that she felt really comfortable in conference and that these things are right. That in other churches she hasn´t felt like this, but ours, yes, makes her feel good. So that is really exciting!!


I am glad that you like reading the Libro de Mormón dad. I love reading it. it takes me to a different place. I dont feel like I am in the world when i read it but i am in the middle of Old America. I am in the end of Alma now, chapter 58.I read really slow, but i take alot of notes. I am not sure i can do a month challenge or 2 or 3 month challenge becuase i read so dang slow. hahhaha


I am glad that everything is doing well there. that Erik is hapy and what not. That the family is doing good and everything!! How are the grandparents??I hope that the kids are doing alright and that molly is doing well with the baby coming on the way. I am sorry to hear about your medical problems mom. They arent fun i can see, but i know that you were givin this challenge in your life to make you stronger! I do hope that you feel better soon though and that this thing with the insurance gets taken care of.


If there is anything that you need let me know!! I am not sure how much i can really do, but i can pray for sure!!!! I love you all!!! Be Safe!!! I pray for you all!!!I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D


Con Amor <3
Elder Larson


I thought i would try the red this week ;)Love ya!!

September 27, 2010

Hello Family!!

Well, this week went by really fast and i cannot believe the time is flying by soo fast. I am happy to here about the calling of Ali. That is cool that she is going to Viña del Mar. That is where one of my comps. was from and my zone leader is pretty much from there too. I hear it is a touristic place and that the bread there is super delicious. Tell her i say congrats and that she will love that mission!!!

To tell you about the people here mom. The econonmy here is aweful. The people here work wherever they can find a job, but there arent many of those either. There ways of living are more of the world than not. There are very many women that have several kids without a father because he left. It is sad seeing all the kids without any example. I am in a place that has alot of campo, which are big fields, in a part of my area. Other than that, there are many houses nad a whole lot of people. Alot of the people bought their land a while ago and havequite a bit, so there children build there house behind and there they live. so instead of having a backyard, there is another little house or shack thing. it is interesting.

I am glad that you were able to get something out of the letters that i send dad. I learn alot here in the mission. This last week, there was this drunk/druggie that wanted money from my comp and I. I told him that i didnt have any, but i forgot that i had coins in my pocket and i dropped them trying to show him that i didnt have any. He took a peso from me, which is about 25 cents. He made my comp and i really mad and we lost the spirit. But, my comp and i learned something after that. We lost the Spirit. You know how the scriptures say that if you do not have the Spirit you cannot preach. That is definelty tru. We prayed in the street a couple times because we knocked on about 5-10 houses with nothing. We became quick to anger and then afterward we realized our mistake... it wasnt good. We didnt do anything, we were just angry at what happened.We lost the Spirit and we couldnt preach like the scripture says, virtually impossible to do anything at this time.

After a while and after we cooled down and prayed a couple more times, we were then blessed with the opputunity to teach a man and his wife.

I am glad that everybody there is doing well!!! Mom i hope that you feel better!! and that the family is doing well!!!That is cool that erik is in the young mens!! Congrats!!!! Hans sounds like he is doing well over in russia.I am happy for him and i wish the best for him, i can only imagine how different it is. He has the Lord on his side though and nothing can stop him. I liked the pics erik sent!!! those were cool to see and it is different hearing that he wont be there when we get home. But that he will be in Utah!! wow, i guess you two can hang out with me for the rest of your lives because i think i am going to stay in the AZ!!! woot woot

I love you all and i am thankful that i was born in such an amazing family. I am proud of you for starting to read the Gospel Principles book mom!!! That is a really helpful book because we are reminded of the things of the Lord. It is pretty much a book to learn how we can obtain blessings: rey bueno!!!

I love you all and i pray for all of you!! Thank you for your prayers!!! Be Safe!!

Hasta Lunes!!!

Con Amor,
Elder Larson

September 20, 2010

Hello Family!!!!
Those pictures i took here this week. We are in a 4 man pension. There is my comp, Elder Molina from Utah, elder Knighton from Gilbert (he went to Mesquite high), and elder Rhoton the shorter one of the other two who is from Idaho, but he was born and basically raised in Georgia.Elder Molina was in the MTC with me but he already knew spanish so he didnt spend that much time there. We came to argentina about the same time. He is pretty cool and pretty funny. The 4 man pension is different but it is fun. The other elders are really cool and we all get along good.

This area that i am in now is called Mayol and i am in part B, the other 2 are in part A. It is kinda slow since we are basically starting new but we were able to find 4 investigators this week and they all seem really good. I hope for the best in this area. The pension was kinda difficult at first. I didnt have a bed my first day so i slept on the ground... then we didnt have any hot water for the first 4 days so i had to boil water and bath from a bucket. Other than that, the roof leaks in a part and it is not in my room soo all is good, at least for me;)

Here there are many jehova witnesses. A couple tried to interupt a contact that we were making, at least it seemed like it to me, and the other day they tried to contact my comp and I. We were in the pension and we here a clapping at our door and there they were. They try to argue the Bible but they wouldnt accept anything from us even though they were handing out pamphlets themselves. It was an interesting experience but i think that my testimony grew of it so i was happy.

One of those pictures that you see is indian fried bread that i made. Then we made tacos out of them with lettuce and tomates. My comp had tacoseasoning that he got from his mother.

Other than that everything is going goodhere. I am glad to hear that Jeff has his call and that Blaine is on his way... can somebody give me his adress for the MTC. I am going to send him a lettter. I love them both, and i really hope that they are excited to leave and get to work!! I hear that Blaines talk was really good.. that sounds like Blaine to me. It is also fun to hear how hans and Grandad and Granma are doing. Does Grandad have a pacemaker now? When did he get that?I hope that Hans is having fun... those people sound interesting. There are alot of "catholics" here. I dont know how many actually know in what they believe though..there are also a lot of saints, for example the saint of death which is pretty much the grim reaper... weird stuff. I know that you are doing good though hans and like that elder said, just keep working hard and have your objective in mind and the Lord will bless you!!!

I just got done reading the end of Alma´s record... pretty intense stuff.... I love you all and i hope that everything is good there!!! I challenge you all to read the Book of Mormon like the stake president challenged you? Read it!!! it is awesome!!!!

WHat is wrong with Erik and Alesha that i have not heard anything about them... tell them to at least breifly describe to me how life is going. It is not like he just got married or anything big hapened in his life that he cant...hahahaha just kidding:P

I love you all!!! I hope that you are all well!!!! you are in my prayers!

Con Amor
Elder Larson

ps. The picture with the spikes in the back, that is one common argentine haircut. this was right before i got my hair cut. Love ya´ll!!!!!!!

September 13, 2010

tHE ONE WITH All the missionaries is my old zone- Quilmes it is called. The coolest zone!!! The little elder is Elder Riquez, he was my zome leader and he finished his mission today. I am not sure what are others. Some are with members and with an investigator, The Mexican elder is my elder now. he is from Utah and he is a convert to the church!!!

My Family!!!

Wow, it sounds like a whole lot is going on up there!!!! Tel Sean i say congrats!!!!!! That is also a very crazy story about Erik and the Suburban!!! way crazy but i am veru hapy that he didnt crash and that everything is alright now!!!

To tell you a story dad... The work is very different and as people we cannot tell what the Lord has in store for us nor for his children. But we do know, however, that he loves us sooo much that we cannot comprehend. He loves us soo much that he sent his Only Begotten Son to die for the sins of the world. I was thinking the other day that if life gets so hard, that i cause myself to think that it is too hard and that i should give up, how much greater was it to think that Christ had to suffer that time infinity. That is a love imaginable big. When I frist came to Berazategui, my comp found a man in his house. He told my comp and another missionary to come back another daybecause his wife really like the religion. We went back the other day and there was this guy and his son. His son had gone to a church activity before with a friend. We began teaching him and we found that he had some problems with drinking. He had a true desire to change and had stopped in a week. Then he was baptized. Now his mother is waiting for her time to be baptized. She needs to get married before but she is in a time of waiting.

To Tell a little about my week. Elder Baggaley and i finished the transfer pretty strong! I got to know the people in Berazategui really well and the work over there was going really good! We recieved references and this week, after recieving a reference from a man, we began teaching his girlfriend. His girlfriend had a testimony becuase this guy is taking her to institue. I belive that she will be baptized very soon.

I am not in Berazategui anymore. I am in a place called Mayol. I am in my first zone and i am with an Elder named ELder Molina. He was in the MTC with me, but already speaks spanish in his house, so he spent less time there. We are together and we are reopening an area, or better said, an area was split and we are going there. Hewas there before but has never worked in the area, so it is really fresh. We will have to start from scratch. I am very excited for this new area and for the challenges that are coming. I hope for the best in this area!!! I am in a cool position now. I am going to be comps with an elder that came tO Argentina with me practically. He is way cool. He is from St. George, and there are actually alot of missionaryies here from St. George. We are pretty much starting from scratch like i said earlier and i hope that alot of Baptisms will come from this.

I want to say sorry to hans for saying he looks like he has gained weight. I have also if anybody can tell. I think that i have and i have definitely lost muscle, sadly. By the end of my last transfer i had one of my member friends calling me Pooh... but i really am not that big, he just liked to bug me.

I wish the best for everybody there at home. Maybe dad, you can put these scriptures in you talk... DC 130:5 i think; DC 92:36 and Proverbs 3 about gaining knowledge and wisdom. Through obedience to your knowledge you will be blessed... i like these scripts...

I love you all and i hope the best for you all!! My prayers are with you!!!11

CON AMOR
Elder LARSON