Note from Diane

My goodness...........I really need to update this blog. I'll work on it this weekend. I have all his emails and I'll start going through them and posting them. Erik is having a fabulous mission. He's out of the mission home and he's in an area called Huehuetenango now, serving as Zone Leader. Time is flying. Soon we'll get our Mother's Day call. Can hardly wait. Stay tuned for his letters. Diane

Multi zone conference, great ward in Huehuetenango, more

Hey Family-

What another fast exciting week. Our ward is very cool and the members and especially the bishop are amazing. But I am definitely in the best self functioning ward I have ever been in so far. My companion feels like he`s worthless because this ward does it all. But there's still a lot that needs to be done but at least the members know what there role is and what the missionaries role is as well. There were also 2 conferences this week. One leadership meeting and the next day was a multi-zone in Xela. So we had to stay the night there and lost a days work with that but there was nothing to do about that. The main 2 things I got out of those 2 days was obedience and giving all the pie to people. President talked a lot about getting to know the scriptures so you can know more the doctrine. And when you know the doctrine you can help others really take a big bite of the gospel. He bought a pie and explained it to us. He just give some of the top frosting to the hermanas and said with that little given to the investigators we expect them to be faithful in the gospel. President explained once we help them with their doubts and or problems then with that knowledge we can help give them the whole gospel. Very very powerful two days even though I got sick the last day. But I'm all better now. Right now we have 2 teenagers that were teaching helping some partial families. The teenagers are hard to get a hold of but with activities that were trying to plan and with mutual I hope that will help. We had a powerful zone meeting on Friday and I tried to talk a little about enjoying the time we have right now and living the gospel ourselves before we invite others to live it. It turned out pretty good and talked a little about Job. That’s just say Job was the man. That’s how I want to be. No matter what happens my desires wont change to live the gospel. We got kept busy in Xela, helping out other Elders in there area, walking (we kind of have a decently good size area), sleeping (even though it doesn’t feel like sleeping because you feel the same way when you wake up), and trying to find the less actives in our area. Always something to do.

Sorry I forgot my camera and i´ll send some photos next week. Everything is good down here. I won't say no if you send down icy hots, hot tomales, Gatorade/Powerade mix drinks that are the small on the go kind, reeses, CTR rings in Spanish, snickers or anything like that. You are free to send down what ever you feel. But other than that I'm good. Happy Anniversary. Have fun with Lauren. And I'm not sure about Mothers Day yet but when I know i´ll let you know.

And I have a question. Do you think there's a way of finding a picture of every person that is in my priesthood line? If there is let me know in a separate email and I´ll show you what I want to do with it.

Thanks mom for everything. And give my best to the Clark's and to Parker about his mission call.

Love

Elder Larson

First week as ZL in Huehuetenango

Hello Family-

What a first week down here in Huehuetenango. I love it. The weather is the best, have the best elders, an ok house that we will be changing on Saturday to an amazing house, the members here are great, and i have the most craziest best companion. We got here Tuesday and we had a few elders waiting for us to receive their companions. Elder Williamson, Mayén, and I both came into the zone and there were two missionaries waiting for us there with the other zone that is here in Huehue. Got a taxi and have never been more cramped up in my life. It was worse than when you have no room on an airplane. Then the next day we had a zone meeting and i think it went alright. Right now the zone has nothing. And when i say nothing i mean nothing. So we talked about the needs of the zone. House, first aid kits, personal needs, investigators, ward, mission leaders, activities and all the jazz. I don't know if i told you last week but there are some areas the are 1hr to 2hrs away and there the assistance isn't that great so its a lot tougher over there. Pero ni modo. I was very surprised to notice that we got to know a lot of the members this first week. Very strong ward but still a lot to do. We don't have a cook but we have the best small tienda any missionary could ask for. The house was trashed and really there's no privacy there and like i said above we will be moving to a very better house hopefully the first of May. Huehue has mountains but you have to go to the areas that are far away. My area is called Centro and its big with anything you want in it. I have really improved my memory here this week. Usually i would just get lost and it would take 2-3 weeks to know the area but i worked on it a lot and I'm grateful i did that. Like I said I have a very crazy companion but I love him to death. He's a very emotional teacher and I said one time this week during our studies that he is like a Elder Holland. Because he's very emotional but when he teaches you KNOW its true. He's a great leader and a very hard worker. He has 21 months and he from Parker, CO. Where's Nancy from? just curious. We found a few people that seem to be interested that are friends of some members here. So the woman here wear corte, its like a blouse i believe from the waist down. Well its different in every town depending on wear you're from. The corte here is very beautiful. There's nothing like ending the day, lying down on the bed thinking of what happened that day, and feeling very very tired and satisfied with the things you did that day. I have had the best week I've had in the mission that i can remember. But this next week will be even better. I'm very grateful I'm with Elder Williamson right now and learn of the ways to have success. There are still a lot of things to do here. I'm excited and cant believe i have this time to serve and to give all my love. I'm safe and sound down here in Huehue.

Love you all

Elder Larson

Everyone is training someone in the office. Elder Ava took my spot in the office.

Transferred from the office, being made ZL

Well you may be surprised to have an email from me but now i can only write on mondays. No more saturday writing from me. You are still more than welcome to write whenever you want but I will only be able to respond every monday if i have a chance. Im going to Huehuetenango. President has called me to be a zone leader over a zone that basically has nothing right now. It`s going to be fun. I cant wait to get going and help the work of the Lord strengthen over there.
Love you all


Elder Larson

Working in the office

Hello Family-

Well its the week after conference and a week older. I loved conference and have enjoyed re-watching it. Elder Díaz went to San Marcos yesterday with Elder Treanor to marry someone so i dedicated my afternoon yesterday to clean the closet here in the office. And let me tell you. It was like cleaning our garage and the house at times. You organize a lot and throw a lot of things away and you finish and look at what you did and it looks like you did absolutely nothing. But it needed to be done I believe and I did it. President went to Guatemala for training for mission presidents on Thursday and on Tuesday we have changes. Only 3 go home and 20 come this change. This new change will be fun with the office for Reu coming in. Not a whole lot happened this week but this next week should be fun. I hope all is well and that you have a good week.

élder larson

Conference time in Guatemala

Hey family-


So we just got done watching conference and it was very good. A lot i want to sit down and study out because it seemed to go by really fast. But i enjoyed it alot. President Lorenzana asked all of us to come with our questions and problems to the conference and he said that we´ll find our answers if were listening to the spirit. I felt that i got helped out a lot today and there's 3 more sessions left. So I'm pretty excited about that. A lot more to learn and apply though. But Elder Hollands talk was very clear and direct. He speaks in a very clear way that nobody cannot not understand. I love that. Its interesting...in order to know perfectly the good you have to understand the bad as well. That's what he did very well and that's what Christ did. He withheld all the bad in the world and knew what to do to do the good. He could see farther than we can and spoke in ways that only the poor in spirit would be able to understand. I'm very glad to know that i can know him by reading the scriptures like Elder Christofferson said. Its a free gift you can say for me and for everything who opens them. The spirit will enter us and help us change who we are. I love the word change. And with the spirit we can change with the help of Jesus Christ because he knows us perfectly. Hes glad when we make the effort to do the right things. Were not perfect and lose our sight at times but he blesses us when we change our path and follow him. I feel weird to think that he loves me the same as the Prophet Thomas S. Monson. But i know that for me he was crucified, died and resurrected because he wants me and everyone to return and live with him. To help me. To save me. To guide me along the way back to him in this ever changing world. For me to know that i can be resurrected and become like him because he led the way so we can ALL have the chance to gain eternal life is just something that i don't think i´ll ever fully comprehend. But I'm glad i have a friend that doesn't doubt me, a mentor that never gives up, and a loving brother who is always watching me to help me enjoy what the cards have given me right now and to walk the path less traveled, juntos, that will help me find true joy in this life. That's something that I'm grateful to know and is something that i want to have always. I really hope all that made sense. But I'm glad for what the Lord did for me so i can have the chance, if i want it, to return and become like him someday. I hope you have a great easter sabbath tomorrow, joy the rest of conference tomorrow, and that you can make room for him in your life so he can bless you with things that you didn't even know you wanted through why we remember this Easter day is my wish for you all. Oh and you leave some food for me. Just put it in the freezer and we´ll call it good. ha ha

Love,
Elder Larson