Getting ready for Mother's Day call (4/27/2009)

Hey mom-Time flies by really fast. It seemed like i just wrote you guys. Rain season is a little late this year but we have gotten some. Its not that bad right now but we will see how it goes. My health has been really good so far. I'm doing good but i just feel that there's not enough time to study. But i think i have a plan for that. Its kind funny down here. If i was serving in the USA I would be a missionary or an elder but here were "greengos." We have had a lot of contacts with people but nobody really wants to listen to us after that because they have heard stuff about Joseph Smith or they already go to a different church. With me I just sit back and try to catch what's going on. I can talk a little bit but I can;t really catch what's going on sometimes. Well I've got to go. Life is good. I haven't gotten your package and I'll send pictures soon and you can attach pictures to the emails I think and I wont be in the Liahona for a while. It shows the date on it I think on the pictures. I may email again later today but I don't know.
Love ya,
Elder Larson

So I've tried 2-3 times to get money out of my account but it says that it cant do it at this time. I put in the right code but idk whats going on. Its not a big deal right now cause i don't need a lot of money but i will keep on trying but ya. Just thought id let you know but right now its not a big deal. SUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDDDDDAAAAAAAAAYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!

Trying to find people (4/20/09)

Hey mom-Its Monday around 10. Its been a fast week. Days feel like weeks and weeks feel like days here. Its really weird. That's exciting to hear about Conner, Brendon, and Ryan. I'm not allowed to watch the YouTube but i bet it was cool seeing them open up their calls. That's cool to hear about Ryan as well. I think the next person wont be for a while now. Its been pretty nice over here. We've been busy trying to find people that are interested. Its hard though because everyone here seems to be religious and already is with that church. We've been helping out with the seminary. It hasn't been that bad but its just early. Oh well. No big deal. I cant really understand right now but i catch a few words here and there. Some talk really fast here but its all good. I'm learning patience right now. But other than that all is well. We're just trying to work with the members more and have them with us during the lessons. That'll probably help out a lot. So we will see where that takes us. I'm starting to figure out how to use my time more effective. We've been busy trying to prepare and make sure the lessons go good. We had an investigator come to church on Sunday. That was cool and well see where that takes us. She's really nice and for the most part everyone here is nice. Its funny when they try to speak English to us because they think its the coolest thing.So I sent you a letter through the mail system here. Let me know how long it takes. I'm just curious. With the church pouch system I have to send it without an envelope, but with the mail system here i can send it with an envelope. And I have the address here if you or anybody else wants to send a letter through the regular mail system instead of the dearelder. Its...
Elder Larson
Mision Guatemala Quetzaltenango
5A Calle 14-35,
ZonaApartado Postal 206
Quetzaltenango Guatemala
C.A. 09001
Glad to hear all is well.
Love ya mom
Elder Larson

Sometimes Erik sends a 2nd email.....
Man it sounds like you and dad have been just as busy as me. Just have to try to try and make time for everything. Its pretty funny down here because not a lot of people keep time so if we see that were running late then its still OK. The only thing is the manana, tarde, and the noche. I'm getting feed pretty good and I'm keeping myself in good shape. I think Ive lost some weight already but who knows. Its tough work. Days are full but they're fun at the same time sometimes. Elder Savage is a really great missionary. Always thinking of ways where we can help and be more obedient. Hes great. Its going to be rainy season soon. Wish me luck! Have a great week mom!
Love ya
Elder Larson

Easter week in Coatepeque (4/13/09)

Hey mom-Life is good here. Days are up and down but life is good for the most part. Elder Savage is a great companion. I'm grateful for this chance to serve with him and have the opportunity to cross paths with him. It was Semana Santa this week. It was kinda cool to see. A lot of people, especially men dress up like girls and dance and celebrate Easter. They did it this whole past week. The baptism went well. The two little girls looked so happy and I'm just glad i had the opportunity to be there for that special event in their lives. We challenged a lady to be baptized but we have set a date for it yet. I'm trying to develop more love for the people here. I'm trying to follow the lead of Elder Savage. He is truly serving for the right reasons. All is well here. Were helping take the kids to seminary here. Its at 5. Now that's commitment. The members that attend church seem to be really strong, but there are a lot of menos activos. A lot. This week we are going to focus on trying to teach them with members present. Hopefully there will be success there. Time really does fly by. I've been using my time better but i can get better. Life is good. Hope all is well. Love you all.Elder Larson

Two things before i forget. Elder Savage got two huge packages with candy and it just reminded me to not send me tons of candy if you do at all. They have candy here. If you send me anything, make it useful like poptarts or those breakfast oatmeal packages. Don't get me wrong, candy is good but ya. Hopefully that makes sense. You know me and candy. And in the Liahona i think our picture in the CCM will be in it but I have NO IDEA. I've just seen other CCM pictures in there. Maybe you can keep an eye out for that. That would be cool to have. That's all. Thanks mom. Love ya.

Erik's first area (Coatepeque) (4/6/2009)

Hola-Its been two weeks since i could email you. It is quite the life I'm living right now. I'm in Coatepeque. Its really nice here. Its hot, has mosquito's, pure water from a bag, everyone speaks Spanish. I like it. Its about 2 hours from Xela. And Xela is about 5 hours from Guatamala City. The ride to Xela was really beautiful. It was mainly all green. We got to the mission headquarters and had breakfast and met everybody. We met President Lorenzana and he doesn't speak any English really. Its all good though. We had lunch and then the assistants assigned us our trainers. It was the start of the next chapter. My trainer is Elder Savage and hes from Dallas. Hes been out about 6 months and hes a really great missionary. Always positive and he is first time senior comp and dist leader. He put me in charge of the area book. It was pretty unorganized from before. It seems like were on the same page already. We want to strength the members first and get them motivated in missionary work. And then out conference Elder Perry talked basically about that same thing. So well see how it all goes. I love it here even though my Spanish is none existent. Our house is a little messy but were cleaning it. They had a chicken before but we just gave it back a couple days ago. All is well here. Its way different. Powdered milk, cold showers (if we get water that day). Its great. haha. Our area is rocky and and i get lost all the time because the streets look the same. Elder Savage has been here i think for 3 months now so he knows the area really well. I'm so grateful for him. We went to the stake center to watch conference. If you could send me the ensign that would be great. we had to watch a couple of the talks in Spanish because a lot of people came but it was all good. We have a laundry and cook lady. She lives right next door. Staying busy. Doing a lot of contacting and working with the branch leaders. So i got your package. It was full of all kind of surprises. Thank you. I liked it all. So it would have been nice to see Eric King but I'm glad i didn't. Its against the rules and I'm trying to be 100 percent obedient. We were at Las Colinas that day too. But ya tell him thanks for doing that. So you have to tell me where Michael and Chad are going. I have to know.That's so exciting. Its sounds like everyone is doing great. I'm sorry about Chris but it sounds like you're doing ok. So i would really like the missionary socks because the other kinds i have slide around and don't have a great grip. Thank you. Other than the socks and the ensign I'm doing fine. I haven't gotten too sick. I'm so glad. Hopefully i wont get it that bad. I'm definitely working on my character. That's for sure. Take care mom. Love you all.Elder Larson (oh and if my English was bad I'm sorry. I'm in the process of working on Spanish haha)

Hey mom-You like my smile? haha its so bad. I'm working on it. I can't remember my favorite Latinos but my roommate Elder Miran and i became really good friends. He's amazing. If i remember I'll give you the names next week. The CCM was great and now into the real world. Its a lot different. No pretend lessons anymore. We have a fecha(baptism date) for this Saturday with these 8 and 10 year old little girls. Hopefully that goes through. My Spanish is getting better but i can't say a whole lot. I can put words together that i hear but its heard to make sense of it all. but it will come with time. Its hard but its fun. I really want to hear about those 3. The 3 Amigos from Folsom haha. Coatepeque is in Guatemala. Ill let you find it. I know you'll like that haha. Elder Savage and i are staying really focused. Its been fun. I'm working on pushing myself late at night because you know me, I get tired really early sometimes. but other than the Spanish and that I'm doing fine. Thanks for everything mom. Love you.Elder Larson