January 31, 2011

Dear Family!!!!

 It sounds like everything there is going great!!!!! I am happy to hear that!!! I cannot believe that everybody is taller than you now dad, i can harldy imagine that. I very much like your goal as well, mom. The old testament is hard to understand, but there are good stories in it that we can learn from, as well as dad is super smart and know sooo much that you can always ask him to explain what is going on.

It sounds like the family is doing good and that dad is busy with church and the activities and stuff. That is really good. This last week we had a baptism!!! It went super well and i was priviledged to confirm the lady. She is super cool and was super prepare for her baptism. I loved teaching her because it make her soo happy to her about the Gospel and the truth. I live the feeling that i was able to help her recieve the very important ordinances!! I was also able to gain more knowledge and a stronger testimony about the importance of the Priesthood in the world. I felt that i was an instrument in the Lord´s hands and that this is a very important and special experience and privilege. It was something super special to me and i am glad and thankful that i could experience it.

Other than that, this week has not been filled with alot of action. I have seen some good storms this last week, but other than that not much. We need to find more investigators here because we are lacking investigators. I hope that we can find more!! There is a family that used to take the lessons a while back that we had found, and we hope to have a good lesson with them this week!!!

I hope that everybody is doing well there at home!!!! I love you all!! and you are in my prayers!!!

Elder Shane Larson

January 24, 2011

Hey Family!!!

How is everybody going???? HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So this week i will be completing a year in the mission!! It is soo crazy how fast time is flying by!!!! I cannot believe that i am here a year in the mission. At times it doesnt seem liek it. I feel like my spanish should be better and i need to learn more about the things that i am teaching. I guess sometimes i dont feel satisfied with myself, but i need ot have patience with myself like with everybody else...

That is crazy that Sean has left on the mission! I cannot believe that... How great!!! Those are good stories that the Bishop has about his mission!! I hope that my mission stores will have goood use like those, even though they arent like those stories.

 

I think that it is funny that matt has new doggies. It sounds cool that he want to hunt mountain lions!! That shoudl be interesting. I think that the pepper story is super fuinny dad!!!! super funny!!!!!

I am glad that everybody is doing good!!! I hope that mom is feeling better and that she can get over the ache in her body!!!My prayers are always with you all!!!!!!

My week went alright. This next week we have a baptism here in Las Flores. It will be great!!!! The lady that will be baptized is the mother of a recent convert. But this lady is super super ready for her baptism!! Yesterday we visited her and we reviewed the baptismal questions and then we talked to her about the Temple. Just hearing about the baptisms for the dead and the opportunity that her ancestors have to listen to the Gospel makes her cry from joy. She has been sooo happy learning about the Gospel and the blessing it provides her, and i have been super blessed to have been able to teach her. It has been a blessing teach ing her and learing form this experience.

That has been the highlight of this last week in the work. We are going to have this ladys baptism on the 29th. Other than that, my comp and i continue working...

I love you all and i hope that you all have a great week!!!!! How are the grandparents doing?? Good i hope!!! My prayers are with you all and i am very thankful for the letters and your concern for me!!!! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!

Elder Shane Larson

ps. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TELL MOLLY I SAY HAPPY BIIRTHDAY AND THAT I LOVE HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

January 17, 2011

Hola familia!!!

How is everybody doing there at home?? I hope that everybody is doing good there and that there arent any problems of any kind!

Your Sunday school class sounds pretty fun dad!! I love to hear about the things that you learn. I think that Bro Greene is a very good teacher and he is very inteligent as well. I bet that it is fun having him as you teacher!!! Be sure to tell him that i say hi!!

First of all, to answer your questions :) I did watch toy story in english because there are only 3 latins in my zone and there were only 2 there and one knows english. There are about 196 missionaries in this mission, and there is about 18 to 20 missionaries in my zone. I think that there was about 60 missionaries when we went and ate at the house of the president.

We had just had transfers, but i did not get transferred anywhere. I am still here in Las Flores with my companion Elder Espinoza.That means that i will be here for at least 2 more tranfers, i think. Other than that, there hasnt been anything very new going on. My comp and i are still working and we are helping the area progress!!! That is the best part. We are seeing a lady, her name is Maria del Carmen, progress and come closer to her baptism. She will be baptized on the 29 of January. She is the mother of a member and enjoys what she learns. I also think that she has seen the blesssings from the Gospel in the life of her daughter, so that helps motivate her!! It is really great to see somebody understand the truth and then change. 

Las Flores is really relaxed, maybe too relaxed because the people dont want to listen and stuff, but we are still trying. I think my favorite area would have to be Berazategui. I am not sure why, i have liked all of my areas just some more than otheres. I like the zone of Quilmes though, that is a fun zone. I think what makes the area is the people. The places are different but the people that you meet and the other missionaries make the area that much better.

Other things that happened in this week were that we had another lesson with the pastor that i mentioned earlier. He had read a few parts from the Book Of Mormon. When we were in the lesson he began to tell us what he thinks about the Book Of Mormon. I know that his views are different. But i could feel a calmness in me during the lesson, tell me that the Book of Mormon is true. He has to find out for himself in the prayer. I am not sure that he is willing to do this task, but he says that he wil continue to read and to study the Book Of Mormon.

Last week in Sunday i had to direct the music. The last song was "My Saviours Love" number 113 in english. The congregation didnt know it, so it was me, my comp and one or 2 others singing. It was a fun/funny experience but i thought it was good. I really loke that song anyway so maybe ill have to give a solo when i return home. 

I have been learning how too make different types of food, so maybe when i get home i can cook for everybody. 


I have finished the Book of Mormon this past week!! I have began to read it again and i am already learning new things and i am only in chapter 7 of 1 Nephi!! I encourage everybody to keep up on their reading!!! The Book of Mormon is priceless!!!

I love you all and i pray for you all!!! I hop ethat you feel better Mom and i hope that everybody is safe and happy!! Time is sure flying by, and i am about to complete a year!!! I hope that everybody takes time to enjoy life and to remember to do the Gospel Basics :D

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Shane Larson

ps- was there a tornado in AZ? People here are telling me that there was...

 

January 10, 2011

Dear Family!!
I am happy that everybody is doing well and that Hans is doing well. It looks like Gabe is doing great in the mission and that he is being well feed- definitely a good thing. McKell sent me some pics of the family party and that looked way cool and way funn!!!! There are a couple faces in those pics that dont look tooo familiar but i am excited to meet these little guys soon!!!! That is cool that you were able to go hunting dad. Sorry that you hadnt seen anything... that is always a bummer. But, the good thing about hunting is it is time to bond with the family and spend time with those that you love. As well as you get to witness the beauties that God has created in there natural state!!! I love that sooo much, I love the outdoors!!!

I knoe that it is good to be humble and to always have hope in Christ. That was a good story that Bro. Coffman gave. Everybody goes through trials and difficult times, but those times are set forth to make us stronger. It is interesting the trials and tests that we are put through in this life, but it is very comforting to know that God loves us and that He wants us to succeed and to be happy, as well as Christ suffered what we all suffer, no matter how small or big the tthings we suffer, and he will always help us. That should also be comforting in mom{s position.


We didnt do anything for new years, we only ate at the house of an investingator on newyears eve.New years i washed clothes and read a little bit and did some chores. Church has about 25 members that come and i got to direct music this week and i teach the class for the investigators and new members.The funny thing is that the congregation doesnt know the hymns well, so my comp and i were the only ones singing (and i was directing).... it was kinda emberrasing, but oh well. My shoes are doing well and i think that they will last the mission. and we dont do much on pdays. Last week we watched toy story 3 as a zone and today we ate breakfast in the house of the President with other missionaries.....that was fun becuase i got to see other missionaries and old comps.

This past week we i had finished the Book of Mormon again. I love this book and it definetly brings us closer to God if we read it diligently. It truly holds the mysteries of God. An interesting experience happened this week... I went on  exchanges again and the place i went very enjoyable. The members there are super nice and it was really fun to get to work there. I worked with an elder from Chile named Elder Vergara. My comp stayed in Las Flores with my district leader. They did a contact on a bus and the guy with whom they did the contact is a pastor of another religion. But they set a lesson with him. My comp and i went to the church where he preaches, and lives, and we had a lesson about the Restoration. It was pretty cool. It was interesting becuae we were teaching him in his own church, but he told us that he thought it would be good to find out if the Book of Mormon was true. He told us he would pray about it, but his prayers are a little differetn so we will help him with the prayer next time.That was an interesting story that we had this week.

Other than that, I love you all and i am thankful for all the prayers and all the support that everybody gives me!!! I love you all and i hope the best for everybody!!! My prayers are with you all!!!!!!!!

Love Elder Shane Larson

ps.- I hope you feel better mom!!!!

Can you send me the missions of Blaine and Jeff as well as Gabe? 

January 3, 2011

Pics!!!! I hope you enjoy... i thought one of those was similar to the one erik too when he was on the mission because he was sitting in a small chair lik i am. Please excuse that this guy has his shirt off, many men dont wear shirts because it is hot here and neither did he that day. This was new years eve. This man is named Matias and he is investigating the church. The meat pics are the famous Argentine Asado.

Hello Family!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am not sure what to write! There had been soo much that had pass in the last 2 weeks... 

To start off it wsa very great talking to you all and to hear from you all in the emails.I must say that this was a little stressfull time of year, but all is welll. The new year has started and i am looking forward to having a great year!!! We stayed in the pension for the day becasue there was nothing to do, nothing was open, then we had to be in at 6. I wrote some letters to the gang that is on missions and then i read alittle and i washed clothes and took a nap. It was good to relax for a day.


For the holidays i was fortunate to spend them with good families. We ate alot of meat, which is the big holiday food here, and it was a good time sharing it with people that want to be with you. They know that the missionaries are far away from home and it was nice for them to share their evenings with us. There are a few fotos of Christmas and the New Years Eve events that i went to.

Other than that, the work seems to keep moving forward. We had a good week this last week, but it seems to me that there is always room for improvement. I was able to go on intercambios with my district leader and i was able to learn alot. I have had some good experiences with some investigators and i hope to keep having these wonderful experiences!!!
I cannot believe that sean is leaving and that Alli is too!!! Micheal is already home?? that is crazy!!!! And what is this about Darwin Jr.???? Tell Molly that i say congrats!!! And that God may be with her and the new baby.

These past weeks have been going by fast. This last week we had a good week of work and we were able to set some dates for some baptisms. I am hoping that we can work even harder this upcoming year. Especially since this is my last year of the mission- which is absolutely crazy to think about.

I am not sure what else to write. I would like to thank everybody in the family for all the suport that you have all given me. It really does help getting the letters and knowing that my family is here supporting me all the way. I have been really blesed. I have had the time to think about so,e of the blessings in my life, as well as seeing the life of others, and i cannot help to think of how blesses i am in my life. Everything from you  all and the family, to all the great people that i have meet in church. I have really taken for granted the things that i have in life, and i still think selfishly, but i want to thank you all for everything that you have given me. Especially you mom and dad!!!! Really what i am today and what i want to be is because you have programmed me to be like this. It is a big blessing to know that ou Father in Heaven has a plan for each one of us and that we can recieve all of these wonderful blessings for throughout the eternities!!! I am grateful for the prayers at home and for all of the thoughts!!

Now i guesss to start this year I would like to invite you all to keep being strong examples of true latter day saints.  i love you all and i want you all to know that my prayers are with you all and that i wish the best for all of you!!!!

If i may, i would like to invite everybody to pray and ask God if the Book of Mormon is true. I have found it to be true and i would like to extend this invitation to you all, my family, so that you might have the renewed sense of love for Christ, and the blessings that we recieve form the most perfect book, and the desire to share this with others. (I am aswell testing this invitation :) )

I love you all and hope that you all have a wonderful start to this year 2011!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,
Elder Shane Larson

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