Thanksgiving

Hey guys! So um... I forgot to mention exactly how humbling bikes have been. We had 3 flat tires in a matter of 4 days, and then my pedal broke off so my bike currently has 1 pedal. They are hard to have but I guess it's a lesson to be learned haha. We mostly have to walk everywhere and since our bikes are broken and it's also hard to live like a mile out of our area. But we contact on the way and just hand over people to other missionaries.

 Spanish missionaries helping us out after our last bike breakdown

Sooo thanksgiving... it tasted so good and I'm sure mine was different than yours. We ate at a Hispanic' s house and they don't even like turkey so it was like all for us. They had a few other things like Mexican rice which was one of my favorites! But we put like buffalo sauce on the turkey and everything and it tasted great! Never thought I would like that but it was so good! Oh... I had some asparagus. Yeah the gift of tongues is real. When they say the gift of tongues, it's not the language... it's being able to eat a whole ton of random things! I do it every night! We also went to the church after our thanksgiving dinner and realized there was a party... so more food! 

Thanksgiving

Cool story this last week though! We went tracting and found this really sweet old lady. It wasn't until we returned when we found out she was 102 years old... ok!? But yeah she's awesome! She's super energetic and walks around and talks a lot! She's so funny she like... took a picture of us on our lawn ha it was funny. She also read the restoration pamphlet we left her and subscribed to the Mormon channel... So that's kinda cool. Hopefully we baptize her before she um... dies :) 

Something that I made me a little sad but a little happy too was something I thought of in the shower. I was thinking about my family and specifically my mother. Everything she did/does for me I took/take for granted. I've never realized that some families don't have mothers who cook them food or cut their hair or support them in all the sports they play. Some people don't have mothers that love them even when their son gave them such a hard time. Some families don't have an amazing mother like mine. It made my heart hurt a little bit because of how much I've taken her for granted. It made me so much more grateful for my mother and everything she does for me. I love her so much and she's the best mother anyone could have. So I want to challenge everyone this week to thank their mothers for all they do for you and tell them how much you love them. I can promise that your relationship will grow with them.

Along with that... the LIGHT THE WORLD initiative is starting this week! I want you all to watch the video and share it on Mormon.org. share it on either Facebook or Instagram or some type of social media. This year we are going to light the world with service :) As you serve, you'll see a light grow in other's eyes. We all have the light of Christ in us. Let that light shine :)

I miss all you guys! Thanks for all the messages! I love pictures!! :)

Love Elder Larson 

Me and Elder Salsbury mid day

Out in the Field

Hey everyone! How are you?! Being out in the field is way different than the MTC. You do everything on your own, cooking, cleaning, being a responsible human. It was kind of hard for both me and my companion because we white washed the area (both of us came in brand new to the area). The elders before us apparently weren't working very hard or doing anything right, we had about 6 uncontacted referrals when we came. We also are on bikes... so talk about humbling lol everyone else around us has cars. So sad, maybe president Wright took a look at me and knew how fat I was so he put me on bikes lol.

Me and Elder Salsbury mapping out the place 

My companion is Elder Salsbury. He is freaking legit! He's from the Tri-Cities in Washington state. He is awesome because he knows when and where to be funny and crazy, but also when to be serious and mature. He has been out for 15 months so he's pretty experienced and he's the DL so that's cool. He's half Brazilian so both of us aren't... white haha. Everyone here is black so we joke around and say they changed our mission to New York.

My first area is Fairfield and the place is awesome! Very different than Utah but it's pretty cool. The people are really nice and we are just getting to know everyone. The ward was really great too and we have a dinner with a member almost every night. We cover an English ward and a Hmong Branch so they speak a language I don't know lol. 

Funny story! I can't get over it! There was this (not to judge but probably homeless) man who came into sacrament meeting for the Hmong Branch so I don't think he understood it. But he legit thought he was God. He has some crazy theory and he said he's like a computer and getting his memory back... anyways he was crazy. I seriously can't forget about it, there are so many crazy people here, it's funny.

This last week has been a long ride but I've also been able to see God's hand in my life. I love study time and never have enough. Something that I loved was the lesson in elders quorum yesterday. We talked about the importance of loving people and caring about them (specifically new converts and non-members). But it applies to everyone. Just love everyone and care about everyone. It shows and people notice you and will want to be around you more. I promise as you love everyone, more people will love you and want you around. Don't worry about yourself. I miss all you guys and you all mean the world to me.

My new address is 2100 West Texas St. Unit 142 Fairfield, CA 94533 if you would like to send anything.

Love, Elder Larson 

The family me, Elder Salsbury (dad), Elder Tripp (granpda/ Dad's trainer), 

Elder Rennells (Brother/ same trainer), Elder Sanders (Nephew/ Brothers trainee) 

Picture I got from Elder Norris on the coast up in Crescent City

Rely on God

Hey friends and family! This week was awesome! So I don't know how many people know this but every Tuesday we have a big devotional and either someone of the 70 comes or someone from the 12. We had the chance to hear from President Russell M Nelson. I loved the meeting and felt the spirit so strong.

What I loved about the talk was how much he talked about relying on God. He said "You can all do great things IF you rely on the lord." It helped me realize this isn't even my mission. This is God's mission for me. It's the people HE prepared for me. Success is a given gift from God if you rely on him and lean on him. President Nelson also said "With God, NOTHING is impossible." How amazing is that. It reminds me of 1 Nephi 17:50. Have God in your life and you will see a lot more blessings and miracles. This life is really about, putting your all your trust in the Lord and see what he can do through you. You will be a happier person. Rely on God to get you through the times when you are struggling and you will get through them. Thank God for the times of peace and joy but also for trials for you to learn and grow.

I started to really feel the spirit in the prelude song before the meeting started when we all sang "if the savior stood beside me." That is like my favorite song to sing because I love the words in it. The 3rd verse goes like this, " He is always near me, though I do not see Him there, And because He loves me dearly, I am in His watchful care. So I’ll be the kind of person that I know I’d like to be if I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me." In your darkest or hardest times when you feel alone, I promise Christ is standing right next to you hoping that you turn to him and ask for guidance. I would like to challenge you all to act as if Christ were right next to you. Maybe think twice before you say or do something. You will all be a little more Christlike and have a better week.

 I hope everyone has a great weekend! I love and miss you all! Also, you won't get another email from me until 9 days from now. I leave for Santa Rosa Tuesday morning!! So exciting! So I'll talk to you all then!

Love, Elder Larson 

My long lost 2nd cousin Elder Hoki I found in the residence building

Temple today with all the elders (front middle is Elder Schneider, front right is Elder Rowe) 

they are just in our zone that we've gotten pretty close to

Me and my companions

Character of Christ

What a great week! The MTC is so great! I forgot to tell everyone where our district is going and so me, my companions and elder Stromberg are all going to Santa Rosa California, the sisters are going to Roseville California, and the other elders are going to Winnipeg Canada. We do have a sister that complains.... more than most but I guess that's ok because then I don't look as bad haha. Other than that we all love each other! Halloween was great. Everything was a normal schedule except when we were supposed to get ready for bed my companions dressed up and went trick or treating!! Haha I was the mom and stayed at the room to pass out candy! It was such a good time.

Character of Christ

So every Sunday we watch a video of talks given at the MTC. The one we watched was one by Elder Bednar and it was amazing. Some things I took of were, it's more about who you are and what you are rather than what you say. This goes for everyone, not just missionaries. If people see that we are good people and are kind... It's so much more affective than telling people you are a good person. Act like a good person (or christ) in all places and people will see the difference in you. I also loved how it talked about the "character of Christ." If you read the scriptures... mostly the new testament, you will recognize how often Christ is looking outwards when people like you and me would look inward. It's so important to turn yourself to Christ and be more like him. If you want to be like Christ, look outwards towards others and helping others. That doesn't mean you discard all the things you can work on... Here's a little equation:

Satan wants us to think that it's 

us + repentance = Christ 

us + charity = Christ

us + patience = Christ 

us + knowledge = Christ

but the true equation is 

us + CHRIST = repentance

us + CHRIST = charity

us + CHRIST = patience 

us + CHRIST = knowledge

If you turn yourself to christ, he will be able to change your weaknesses Into strengths. Every missionary and member of the church on some level has a testimony, not every missionary or member of the church is converted. I promise as you turn your whole heart to Christ and convert yourself to him, he will be able to change you in ways you don't think are possible. You will see blessings in your life you didn't recognize before. You will be a happier and better person. I hope you all had a great Halloween week and have a good weekend! I love you all!

Love, Elder Larson 

 Before a lesson

Matching with one of our "investigators"