05/23/2012

Dear Family and friends-

 

It was so nice to hear from all ya'll this week...

 

This past Sunday I was interviewed and I am now the new district leader. I heard from Dallin this week and he said he is loving it out in the field. I cant wait to get out into the field (wherever that may be) and start serving, too. I am sorry to say that they just got rid of the pictures machine and no computer at the MTC allows me to send them. So you wont be getting some for a while. But yes Mom, I would love to get some from ya'lll. My two investigators that I am teaching are so awesome. I am growing a love for the people I teach and even more so for the gospel.

 

This week we had Elder Rasband of the seventy speak to us. He talked about how it isn't enough just to have the spirit when you teach and study, but that you need the CONSTANT COMPANIONSHIP of the Holy Ghost. He said the three ways to do that is to 1) Bridle your Passions 2) Let virtue always garnish your thoughts and 3) Ask for it all the time. I loved this talk because honestly the times when I am the happiest out here are the times when I recognize I have the power of the Holy Ghost in my actions and thoughts.

I am now completly 100% feeling awesome. It was sad to send off four guys to the Peru MTC but I am so happy and proud of the work they will be able to accomplish down there.

I also love how in the mission field, ties are the only thing we barter. They are the only things we have to trade, and let me tell you, I have gotten some bomb-diggity ties now.

This week let me just say I dominated yes dominated in soccer. So Lukas you may have basketball but I got you in futbol..... I hope you all are doing great. Please know I love you and miss you, but I have never been so happy to serve the Lord. I want you to know I feel, yes can actually feel your prayers influence me. You are all great. Love you, see ya.

Keep huggin all those cats, no matter how crazy it may seem. Love ya

ELDER LARSON

05/16/2012

Hello Everyone!!!!!!

It was great to hear how everyone is doing. Congrats to Whitney and Ian on the news of the baby! So excited I am goiong to be an uncle. Sorry if i don't say all that I want to.  There is a timer when missionaries write emails and it will just kick you off if you don't hurry.

First off, Happy Mothers Day to Mom! The way it sounded the card got there in time? I would have called but I wasn't allowed to email or call.... but knowing mom she understands ;)  Congrats to Lukas on his win in the playoffs and to Soren you are a spoiled punk for being able to have a LIMO for Prom!!! JK that is actually really cool.

This week has been way way better than my first week. I am much healthier and feel great. Teaching of investigators went a lot better too. We received two new investigators and I am starting to develop a love for induvidual people, which seems to be essential to missionary work. I memorized the missionary purpose in spanish and am now wiorking on the Joseph Smith's first vision in spanish. Me and my companion are really starting to work hard. We were teaching in a lesson and he was struggling with words, then all of a sudden he just starts crying and just bears his testimony on the church and the Book of Mormon. After that he has really buckled down and wanted to work hard with the learning and teaching in spanish. Yesterday we had the privilage to hear from Elder L. Tom Perry. Wow, talk about an apostalic witness of the Savior. There have been few other times when i felt the spirit as strong as i did during his testimony. He spoke with such conviction it was impossible not to feel the spirit.

Today I went to the temple, and who do i sit next to but my best friend and college buddy Derek Christianson. It was so funny.  I love that kid sooo much. I found out he is two floors above me in my residence, but we didnt see each other before cause we are always gone.  THEN, walking back from the temple i saw Katherine, the girl you met at the bookstore. I told her to write me and that it made my day to see her.

On another note, I am now playing soccer as a supplement to my basketball, and i dont mean to brag, BUT I AM AMAZING.... haha jk, but it is a lot of fun and the best workout I get here at the MTC.

We almost had an Elder go home this week, not for any rule breaking, but because he wasnt sure if he had a strong enough testimony to be here. BUT, after Elder L. Tom Perry's talk, he had a beautiful change of heart and is now working harder than ever.

Days are beginning to blend and I am honestly working so hard it doesn't matter what day it is to me. I was kinda bummed at first when my visa didn't show, but two seconds later I remembered the saying "you can't hug every cat" and I was fine. Besides, Dad always taught me not to worry about the things i dont have control over!

I cant wait to hear from ya'll and know that i love and miss you.

Quote from L Tom Perry's Talk "Priesthood is the means of Exhalation. Without it men are lost."

Also, sorry for the spelling errors Whitney. I hope they didnt bother you too much ;)

Lord Bless,
Elder Larson

05/12/2012- First Letter Home

Elder Larson- just minutes before entering the MTC

Hello Everyone,

 

Welp, This is officially my first P-day here at the MTC (or CCM in Spanish). Let me just start by saying that it is amazing here! My first day here was awesome. I saw a lot of my college buddies and even some people from down in California that I knew. You wouldn't believe how fast it goes around here. 6:30 a.m to 9:30pm you are always doing something that the MTC has planned for you. I am exhausted, but you know what, I have never been happier or more excited. My spanish and gospel teacher Hermano Miller is a super great guy and is awesome. My companion Elder Burgi is an awesome companion. He has the reddest hair you have ever seen and is 1 of 14 kids. (Bless that mother.) I was really excited that he was my companion. Our second day into the mission we were told that we were going to have to teach a lesson to an investigator that night, all in spanish. Let me tell you what, I was nervous, and Elder Burgi was as well. But somehow when I went in there to teach, all these words came flowing into my head as to what to say. Now, don't get me wrong, I might have misprounounced a few and had to think for a while, but I understood him and we were really able to have a conversaiontion..... IT WAS AWESOME!!!! We gave him a Book of Mormon to read and said that he should read it and if he had questions on anything to write it down and we would be back to understand them. So yeah, that was a lot of fun. I have also been playing basketball at the gym which is actually really fun as well. I will probably be pro when i get back.  So glad to be out here. The spirit is so strong and even though I am dead tired, working this hard never felt so good. I love you guys. Oh and congrats to Nate Cromar for graduating college. sorry if there are any errors in here...............

 

Remember: you can't hug every cat....but you can sure try.
Elder Larson

 

Dad and Elder Larson

Mom and Elder Larson