President Lorenzana & Birthday

Presidente and Hermana Lorenzana are amazing. He was a stake president before he got his call i think. He is really funny and knows the scriptures really well. Elder Saurey told me one time that he said that everything he wanted in this life he has and everything he didn't want in this life he doesn't have. When we use our agency correctly and fight for what we want, we are blessed with the blessing to do it. When we don't use our agency wisely or to the best of our ability we cannot make all the decisions that we want to make. I just thought that was pretty cool to think about. He talks a lot about his mission and when he didn't have work for 7 years. Serving a full-time mission, always looking for new ways to find and teach people and other times when it was tough helped him out in those 7 years. I bet he didn't stop looking for a great job or didn't complain in those 7 years with his family. He knows there is always something better and that we will be blessed if we follow the prophets and follow our leaders in the times that we need it the most.
They´re both really funny and President just speaks it how it is and throws a little humor into it at times too. You know he means business but at the same time you know that he cares for you.

Hey family-

So its kind of weird to think about but i will not be a teenager anymore. Those years have passed. Now I'm off to bigger and better things in this huge world. We´ll see how it goes. This week was really good. We planned as a companionship and set goals for a lot of things we want to do and change. I think that will help us a lot with focusing why we´re here. We talked about if one doesn't set goals, then they´ll just go through the motions living in the present and if one sets goals they know what they want to do and what they want to become. One of our goals is to leave every night and work in our area. Lately our past 3 lessons have been at a members house with THEM inviting a friend over and sharing what we know. We taught this one girl, Sandra and she is 16 and she basically knew everything was true and she knows that we need to have a prophet lead us today. It was a great lesson. I don't think it was us but it was the missionaries who taught her almost 2 years ago and the members just inviting a friend over. They told us they had a FHE with her one Monday and then the second visit was with us. Elder Saurey and I just knew that she was getting it and she said she would go to church, but to also go and hear conference. We have 5 missionaries in our area and it seems to working our really good.
To be completely honest I'm more excited for conference than my birthday. Conference just has a new meaning for me because i think I'm in a different mind set doing different things than before. I really like it and it should be really good. I hope all is well and that you guys have a great week. Give my best to Dean and the family.

Elder Larson

Mission office

Hey mom/dad-

I hope this email can make it for you two for this week. Empty Nesters. Man o man. But I've had a good week. Been busy because of changes and things. My companions are Elder Saurey and Elder Cornia. Elder Saurey is the general secret. and Elder Cornia is the financial secret. But its really fun. They're great guys. I think i can really say that i enjoyed this week. Everyday is different but with the time i had i think i did pretty well. I usually study in the morning and then i`ll do anything the other Elders need. But lately with changes i get ready all the carnets in Spanish but its like their ID. And just some other random things with that. If there is a meeting or anything special i usually make sure everything is good with the set up or anything. But i like it so far. But at times there is al ot of time to study and when there's meetings it seems like there is no time to study. I'm trying to take advantage of the time that i do have to study and help serve the other elders. I'm really starting to like serving the other elders. Hope all is well and that you guys have a great week.

Elder Larson

Erik is working on his "character"

Hey Mom and Dad-

I’m glad to hear that Lauren is alive and well. She is going there for a reason. I’m glad to hear that all is well with everybody right now.

I’m really starting to learn that everything happens for a reason. I’m here in Xela right now for a reason.

I still don’t know why but the Character of Christ talk by Elder Bednar was really, really good. It has really changed how I do things. Its just funny because Brother Myers and I always talk about our character and the talk was really good for me because there was a lot of ways for me to strengthen my character. Thanks for sending me that talk. Seriously.

I heard weeks in the office go by faster than in the field. I just hope I can learn my duties and do them and serve the other elders here in the office.

I read Mosiah 2 and that has changed how I look at things too. Mosiah 2 and the talk by Elder Bednar have really changed the way I act and try to serve.

My companion is Elder Saurey. When we have time we go to our area in the nights. Both of us don’t know it so we're just trying to work through the members. But other than the nights when we have time and Sundays we are all companions in the office at times. Days are really busy at times and it makes me feel that I'm doing things that are productive and worthwhile.

Thanks for everything that you’ve blessed me with mom and dad.

I’m still glad to hear that Lauren still has her 11 toes and that she is safe and sound in her apartment.

Hope everyone has a great, safe week.

Elder Larson

Note from Diane:
Here's the link to Elder Bednar's talk that Erik was talking about.
http://www.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/ReligionSymposium/2003_01_25_Bednar.htm

New job in the mission office, teaching English to the Mission President and driving for the first time!

Hey mom and dad

This has been a different week that I have had in a long time. That's for sure. Different but good.
There are a lot of different things we do here in the office. So right now I'm getting trained to do my job so in a week I can do it when changes come. I'm in charge of the pouch, ordering things missionaries need, doing a lot of things for when changes (transfers) come, setting up for all the conferences, and the other special assignment I have is to help President Lorenzana learn English. We've had a busy week and we haven't started yet but he really wants to work on it. He knows a bit but he just wants me to guide him.

For the most part I really like it here. We see President Lorenzana a lot more often and I know what's going on. You know how I always like to know what's going on. Everyday is different but everyday is a help to build up Zion here in this area of the world. Basically the whole office is new and out of the 9 that are in here right now, 6 are Americans, 3 Latinos, and out of the 9, 8 know English. Its fun and I've had an interesting, fun week. Oh and i drove for the first time this week in a long time. Just thought I would share.

So I was in the coast for 3 changes and now I'm in Xela which is in the cold area of this mission. First night was really cold but right now I'm good.

We live with the assistants and its a pretty nice house. We have a cook for breakfast and lunch. Hopefully I won't gain too much weight here. But I guess we´ll see. A great bunch of elders in the office right now. We had a meeting with President Lorenzana on Monday and he talked about unity. Unity in the office and unity with the heavens. I really enjoyed it. We can have unity with love and sacrifice. We sacrifice but in the end it´ll be like a blessing because you helped others in time of need. And he talked about if we want to win then we need to lose sometimes, meaning that we need to sometimes give up our time and efforts for the benefit for others. I don't know what this next week has in store for me but hopefully i can do it my best and enjoy this time I have to serve the Lord in this calling.

Elder Larson