February 14, 2011

 This is the lady that we baptized as well as her family!!! The are all super awesome!!!!! This little girl in the foto is named Maya and she is absolutely hilarious!!! The other fotos is me and my comp walking around near the outskirts of the area. There is pretty much only fields beyond that point.

Family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
I am glad to hear that everything is going good for everybody there at home!!! It sounds like mom is doing a good and is really working hard on her goals!!! That is way cool too dad how you are going to go to Havasupai again!!! I loved that hike!!! It does seem to me that the goals of the church and the training is being more stressed, as well as the importance of the quality of the leaders and efforts of each memeber of the ward. I think that it is interesting because i have given, for the past 3 weeks, lessons in church about the 2nd coming and the milenium, as well as the signs to come and the signs that we have already seen. I think that this extra stress on the leaders and the organizations of the church is another sign to tel us that we need to start preparing hard core... but that is just an opininon that i have.i am not sure though.

How is all the family doing? I have heard there are broken records of the cold there where grandad and grandma are... that sounds pretty intense!!  Hans´ weather sounds pretty extreme too!!! I was also happy to hear about Blaine getting into the field and how happy and excited he is to be in the field working in the Lords work. that is wasy cool!!!!!! How are all of the kids doing?? How is Matt doing? it has been a long time since i have heard from him. I hope that grandma is doing good!

This last week was kinda slow with the work. I am not sure why it was soo slow. We have only 2 weeks left in this transfer, and things are changing it seems in the mission. We used to meet altoghter in one big meeting every transfer, but only those that are going to be transferred are going to be able to go to the transfer meeting. This is so that we will be able to spend more time in our areas and spend more time inviting people to come unto Christ. 

The weeks are going by so fast and we do alot of things in the day that i cannot remember really well what all happened last week. I am doing good though and i am very thankful for the family that i have been given. I am blessed to be able to reflect everyday on how i am doing, as well as see others so that i can set goals on how i want my family to be in the future. I am very grateful to have such an awesome family and people that really care for me. I thank you all for the great example that you have given me since my youth!!!

I love you all and i hope that you all are having a good Valentines Day!!! Mom and Dad, you should go visit Grandad and Grandma! That would be good to take a little time to go up there and enjoy the nice, fresh, cool air!!! I love you all and you are all in my prayers!!!!

Love Elder Shane Larson

Mom- dont worry about the stamps because i can send letters here. But that you very much!!!!

February 7, 2011

Hey Family!!!!!!!!

It sounds like everybody is doing good there at home and that you were able to spend time with the family!!!! I think that is cool that you are puttting in for elk again dad. I hope that you can get drawn!!! but if not, next year willl be the year and i will also be able to go!!! I am happy that mom is still going good with her goal!!! that is great mom!!!! it would be good to read the Book of Mormon as well and do refrencing, but remember to have patience!! I cannot believe that you are reading so fast, i cannot not read that fast- and that is the truth!!!

 

I hope that the rest of the family is doing goood!!! I hope that ryan is doing well with the new house and that Erik and Alesha are doing good together. How is the rest of the family doing??? I hope greaat!!!!!

Now to anwser your questions: In Las Flores i still have to clap houses. Not all of them, but there is still houses that i cannot get to the door to knock or the door bell is out of reach so i have to clap. There are not any official restaurants from the states nor stores, but they do sell things from the states here. Alot of the things that they sell here from there are expensive, so i dont usually buy that stuff, but there are times where you can find places that sell things similar for much less.

 

This last week went really good for us. I was worried that we werent going to have a good work because the week before wasnt very good, but this last week went really well. We were able to find 7 more people and teach some good lessons. I like geting to know the people here. I like it because it is almost like they become my family that i have known for a long time when really i havent known them for more than 3 months is that. I have been blessed to recognize the importance of the Priesthood in our lives. I gave my first blessing of Comfort this last week. It was my first time so it was a little different than the blessing for the sick, but i tried to listen to the Spirit during the blessing. I felt really good afterward and i think that the man that recieved the blessing felt good afterward and i hope that he could feel the Love of God. I think that through the blessing, we have grown closes as friends.

 

There are alot of things that one learns from the mission.I am very grateful that i have been blessed to be able to come here and get to know these people and be a part in their lives. I hope that the people i teach can recieve a testimony of the things that we teach them. The Gospel is great!!!!!! I was also able to give my testimony in church Sunday. I felt prompted to go up and testify of Christ as our Savior. I felt really good afterward and i known that Christ lives and that what ever problem that we have we can recieve help form Him because He knows us personally. Heavenly Father really answers prayers and we are very blessed to be able to live in a time that, is a little rough like mom said, but is soo good and with the fulnesss of the Gospel!!!

 

I love you all and you are all in my prayers!!!!!

 

Elder Shane Larson

 

ps. tell erik to look up the artist Dread Mar-e i think is him. He is a reggae/christian singer with really good music!! I think that erik would like to listen to him. Alot of people listen to him here and he has really good relaxing music.

 

My comp wants to know if you can help him find a Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration DVD in spanish. Then he can pay me and you can take the money off of my card, but if you cant find one, that is alright.

 

Mom, that is alright, you dont have to send me anything... i am actually losing weight and feeling good and it is alright that you dont send me anything if you really want to, let it be a surprise and it can be something small. THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!

 

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