Erik responds to the news about Sister Wood..... (6/22/09)

I love my son. His email brought me a lot of peace during a very difficult time.
Love, Diane

Hey mom-Sister Wood was a great friend, teacher, mom, disciple of Jesus Christ, and a great example to everyone. Especially to me. She ALWAYS had a smile on wherever I saw her and I don't know how she did it but she always lifted spirits. She was an amazing person mom. You knew her better than me but from the time that I had to know her she seemed to always have the pure love and light of Christ in her. I don't know what to think but that everything happens for a reason. I know Sister Wood is where she is supposed to be.

She had the same love for everyone in our seminary class. She always had the spirit with her and everyone knew that she loved them. She taught by example and she knew how to give service the right way. It probably wasn't even service to her. I can't think of one specific time that sticks out to me because to me. But I always knew she cared for me, I always knew she loved me, and I always knew she wanted the best for me.

We taught a lesson yesterday about when Lehi and his family left all their property, riches, and things that they loved of this world, to not be killed in the destruction of that great city. They only brought the things that they needed to survive in the wilderness. We talked about that after this life we won't take all of our worldly things with us. Only our knowledge, relationships with our family, and our actions we did on this earth with us. Laman and Lamuel liked the worldly things and didn't think that great city could get destroyed. We didn't think Sister Wood would pass away. She did, BUT she was prepared. She knew what she needed to bring and what was important in this life and she enjoyed every second of it! She was truly a great example to all who came in contact with her.

One thing I keep on learning.
Can we change the past? NO
Can we change the future? YES

We can always learn something from the past and we can take what Sister Wood did in her life and apply those things in our lives so we can be more ready for when that time comes when we are called to the other side. :)

I love you mom and I just want to tell you that she is where she is supposed to be. She was a true friend.

The Wood Family are in my prayers.

We have changes later today. :)

Elder Larson

Happy Father's Day (6/15/09)

Hey Dad-

First i just want to say HAPPY FATHERS DAY on Wednesday i think it is. So when you wake up Wednesday morning you can just remember that i wished you a GREAT Fathers Day on Monday. But back to business.

I don't know if you ever felt like this but i feel the weeks go by really fast, but the days feel long and that i can get a lot done. Kind of weird but i really like it. We have changes a week from tomorrow and i think ill be getting a new companion. Hopefully a Latino.

So we didn't have the baptism because the girls mom wouldn't let her get baptized but were working with her and she has a great testimony already. And Sandra didn't get married this work. They needed to get their birth certificates or something like that from Xela. Maybe this week were hoping.

Right now we don't have a whole lot of investigators. President Lorenzana said we are looking for the people that are ready to get baptized. President had a idea this week that if we go to a members house and challenge them to give a Book of Mormon to a friend in 5 days that we could have help in finding those people that are ready. No references right now but were hoping. We do a lot of contacting but we teach as well. It's fun teaching.

I'm talking a little bit more but its still hard to understand people. But it'll come with time. So Elder Savage and I have noticed that if we don't set time out to do something that it won't happen. Its just something cool to think about because we always seem to have busy days.

All is well down here. Hope you have a great week Dad

Elder Larson

Hey mom-

I know you're not going to read this for a while but thanks for putting together that package. And I don't know what finca means. I'll get back to you on that but Magnolia and Coatepeque are fine right now for the most part. We go to Central Coatepeque a couple times a week. Keep up the good work Mom.
Love ya,
Elder Larson

Hey mom

Nothing crazy happened this week. But it was just an all around good week. We have a fecha for this Saturday and probably 2-3 in 3 weeks. Sorry fecha means date or a baptism date. So we've been working with this lady and her name is Sandra. We've been teaching her for a long time and I've really enjoyed watching the light come on. Its been a long process but we found out a few weeks ago that she wasn't married and that the husband didn't want to get married or have her get baptized. And maybe a week ago we had her talk to her husband about it and they set a date for sometime in August to have a big reception after the wedding. But yesterday we talked with the president of the branch here and talked with them about getting married a lot sooner to not live in sin anymore and to have the reception in august. And as of right now they're going to get married this Wednesday. We've come along ways with her and we still have a ways to go but she likes us and she likes what we say.

So we've been working a lot more with the members now and i think that's been helping out a lot. We try to teach with them a lot and try to get them involved with the positive investigators more. I can really see a difference when we think about what we want to do or see happen before we do it. What a concept right?

Elder Savage, the hot sun at times, the mosquitoes, the members of the branch, and I are having a great time down here. Elder Savage and I are trying to be more balanced in everything we do now. Not just balanced with contacting and teaching but in everything we do throughout the day whether it be with food, sleep, personal study, or exercise. I think that's one thing that if I learn how to do while out here then it'll be a success. I mean there's obviously more to learn but being balanced is a good thing to do as well.

All is well down here. I'm doing good. Looking forward to this upcoming week.

Elder Larson

Hey dad

Sounds like you're living good. Golf, chili, ice cream. That sounds like fun. We have bread down here that's pretty good. There's sweet bread and that's pretty good sometimes too. It's pretty nice down here.

It's so nice when you teach people and the light comes on or you watch a person change their lives over a period of time. It's pretty cool. We had a pretty good week and I can't wait for this next one.

Elder Larson

PS Get good use out of the pool for me

Erik sent some photos this week! This one (above) is the Guatemala Temple.

The one above is Erik's bedroom in Magnolia.

This is their kitchen in Magnolia. (Click to make it bigger.)

This is from the MTC in Guatemala City back in March. Erik's companion was Elder Judd, the second from the right.

I found this image at the website for the Guatemala MTC (CCM) and I thought.....is that my son playing basketball????!!!! And then I was so excited when I realized it was. (Click on the picture to make it bigger.) I recognized the walk, the clothes and the brace he was wearing on his left wrist. (He hurt his wrist before he left before for Guatemala.) This would have been taken in March sometime, I'm guessing.

Erik's first baptism and first flood! June 1, 2009

Hey mom-This week has been a crazy week. On Thursday night our house flooded and we came back around 9 and it was shoe sole deep in all the house. Half an inch or so. It's a lot better now and it won't flood again because all the leaves clogged it up and we're doing a massive clean today of the inside. It was kind of funny but it's all better right now.

But on Saturday we had the baptisms. It went really well. Elder Savage baptized the younger one, Valentine and I baptized the older one, Fernanda. I did pretty good but I was just mainly excited for their family. I see a lot of support and potential in that family. A lot of people showed up and I'm sending pictures in the mail hopefully today of it.

(I got this email from Erik on June 8 - "Hey so i sent photos of the baptism and you guys will receive it soon. I forgot to put names and dates on them. It was on this past May 30 and the mom is Judit. The husband/boyfriend is Menor. The older girl is Fernanda. The other girl is Valentina. and the other small girl, their sister is Estrella. The other girl in the blue i think is Menor's sister. Just thought I'd tell you everybody")

All is well here. Its just about raining everyday now. I'm switching the shoes that I wear everyday so I'm good with that. It was just a good week watching this family get ready for their daughter's baptisms. They invited us over for dinner afterwards and we had tamales. Tamales are like everyone's favorite here. I think its a big deal when they eat them but I'm not that positive on that one. Right now we're just trying our best to get them involved with the church so they don't slowly go inactive like a lot of other people here. Getting them a calling possibly and a friend in the church.

Oh and I'm at 17 pounds I've lost since the CCM in Guatamala City. Just thought I'd let you know. But I'm healthy and doing good and I can't wait for this next week.

Elder Larson

I asked Erik about the earthquake. This was his response:
Some people felt it, some people didn't. I didn't. I think it was at 1 in the morning.

Erik's email to Dad

Hey dad-Sounds like all is well back home. I'm glad to hear that. The baptisms went great and I had it all memorized and once I started I was like.....what exactly are the words again? I didn't mess up and it went good. I baptized Fernanda and E Savage baptized Valentine. I'm hopefully sending pictures in the mail today of it. We've been trying to stay busy. Elder Savage keeps us doing the right things. It's been a really good fast two months.

Elder Larson