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