Welcome to Huehue

Hello Family-

I hope all is well all en California. So this week was changes and four out of the eight are new to the zone. It was a tough week, I'm not going to lie. I felt bad because we didn't find a lot but i hope we can change that this next change. So on Tuesday and today we went to a restaurant called Zumbas. Well he is from the states and we talked and he asked me if i knew any Larson's that lived in Torrence. I said yes and he said he remembers dad and uncle terry. His name is Enrique and lived with the Farr´s. (Dan and Janell). He knew dad really well and was a really cool guy. I'm sending a photo of him in this email and of the ruins that we went to today. That was fun but that's not why I'm here you know. I'm glad i met Enrique and went to the ruins but i want to have more success here and i hope to be a blessing to these people here. The little storm thing passed by us on Friday and Saturday and we didn't leave the house for a good while. Kind of went crazy but I'm better now because I'm out of the house. There wasn't church in total Guatemala and its just been a weird few days i guess. All is well here and I'm in the same area as the members in your ward. Just that its probably a lot smaller than when he was here. Sorry i don't have much to write this week. Time flew by today. Love you all. The Book of
Mormon is true.
Elder Larson

Just for fun - then and now

I was really struck by this when I got the photos from Erik recently............check these out!

Sister Lawson and the Filipino children

Elder Larson and the Guatemalan children

Sister Lawson and Larry the dog

Elder Larson and Chatzi the dog

(somehow I don't think they ate Chatzi. Poor poor Larry the dog.........)

A Baptism in the Zone

This is the baptism of the son of the mother that Erik baptized last week.

Diane

Christian and all the jovenes (whatever that means)

Sorry, this was the size of the picture Erik sent me............

Baptism, companion change

Hey mom and family and anyone else who is reading this-

What a fun week it was. We had a baptism yesterday and it was really cool to see him make the decision to get baptized. When we got here we started to teach him from the beginning but he didn't seem to want anything. But once we started to teach him and visit him we knew it wasn't going to work, so we started go with a joven his same age. And then he changed completely. Opened up and listened to everything he said. It took a while but he went to a few activities to start out with and then he went to church with a shirt and tie we got him.....but the thing is his shirt wasn't not tucked in out all. But hey he came and it was fun to see him there. So he came his second week and he had nice pants, shirt tucked in, new sharp looking tie, and he did his hair. He looked completely different. It was amazing. I knew that we couldn't make the difference with him but the jovenes did it. With the activities and with being his friend. It was very cool to see. The bishop baptized him after church yesterday and he stood up humildemente and thanked everyone and said that he was grateful for the change that he has seen in his life.

Changes were today though. My companion is gone and 6 out of the 10 we have are gone. And this next change we will have 8 in the zonita. Big areas we have but 8 missionaries we will have. We´ll see how it goes but I'm excited. This last change was to get the zone out from the negative to zero. And President said we did what we were supposed to do and was grateful. Now we have a different perspective. Were taking it from zero into the positives. My next companion is from Honduras and everyone says he is really cool and chill. I want to focus on the temple this change with the members and get the assistance up in all of the stake.

Oh and thanks for the shoes. I have them on right now and they have been my source of luck you can say this week. I like them a lot. And thanks for everything. I feel spoiled but at the same time its nice getting stuff. And I'm also glad to hear that everyone is filling out their papers right now and getting ready to go. Given it will be 3-4 yrs until i see them again. But that's just how it is i guess. There's a big change in the mission one can see when they let it enter ones body. Elder Williamson is probably the missionary that has really let the mission enter his life most. He told me he´s seen a big change in me in these past 6 weeks. I haven't really but he's seen it. The one thing i want the most is to open up more. I was and still kind of am a quiet person. That's just how i am at times. But i want to have others come into my life more so i can be more outgoing, kind, humble, happy, and more a rounded person.

I love you all more than agua in a small plastic bag.

Have a great week

Elder Larson

Zone Leader interviews & family Baptism in Huehuetenango

Hello family-

You're probably wondering why i didn't write yesterday. Well i have a good reason. We had to stay in the house all day! I think we all went crazy. It was 3 of us in the house all day and I'm surprised we made it out alive. But with yesterday it really hit me how i do not want to be like that when i get back home. In a way I'm glad i realized that now so i don't get in the habit of sleeping in, eating all the food in one day, and not leaving and doing anything throughout the day.

But besides yesterday i had the chance to baptize a mom on Sunday. So let me give you the background. I had to do the interview of a mom and her 3 kids on Saturday. But before the scheduled interviews we helped give them service. They needed wood for the house and so we went to a place like a hour away which they have to go get it. They cut down the trees, and sawed them into pieces and then from there our job was to get them to the big truck. Just remember we're in the mountains here and they just don't cut the closest tree and its just not on an even surface. So we helped them with that. So i noticed we weren't going to finish anytime soon so i started the interviews and we just did them sitting on a hill, enjoying the view and taking a rest for a little bit. Started with the 11 yr old girl. Then worked for a little bit longer and then talked with the 16 yr old soon. Went back to help move the wood and then finally got a hold of the mom which she was very busy directing everything and from what it seemed like was trying to avoid me. But we started talking and kept changing the topic and wanting to help the progress of the service along. After 15 min she told me she had to go and that we would finish at her house when i talked with the oldest son. So after being there for 3 hours or so we finished and were all very tired. Finally got to there house and talked with the 20 yr old son and then started to talk to her. It was a tough interview but we got through it and she wanted me to do the baptism. I insisted the others do it but she told me that she wanted me to do it and so we went and i helped her out in this decision of hers. I don't think i´ll ever forget that day with them. Very tiring day in both aspects. But i hope all goes with them and they can keep going in the church.

Sorry i don't have a lot more time left but email me whenever you guys want and especially as soon as you guys know about the mission calls of the Brandons.

Love

Elder Larson

Lots of photos, bad hair cut and more

Explanation for photos:

1. The top three photos are of Erik and the The Zaculeu Zone.

2. The next photo is the result of Erik cleaning out the mission office closet that hadn't been cleaned out for years. I realize I better get the garage cleaned before he gets home!

3. The next two photos were taken overlooking Xela (Quetzeltenango.) Look at the beautiful Guatemalan children! I love these photos!

4. The next one is of Erik and Sister Lorenzana (Mission President's wife) and the maid-cook, Hermana Flor.

5. The next one is with the Lorenzana family. This was taken the night before Erik was transferred out of the office.

6. The last one is of Erik and the mission president's dog, the famous Chatzi!

This is the email he sent us today after we had our wonderful mother's day talk with him last night!

Hello family-

Yesterday took all the words out from what i had but i just have a few for today. Here in the mission there are highs and lows and today was a low. I cut my hair in the morning and it was the worst hair cut i have ever gotten. Just thought you would like to know.

Elder Larson

Erik's mission call - just found this! (Dec 14, 2008)

Great things happening in Huehuetanango, new apartment, more

Hola familia-

What a week it has been here in Huehue. Its just like the coast where it is burning hot in the morning and midday and then around 4-5 in the afternoon it just starts to pour and pour and doesn't stop. But there's nothing like getting soaked right? Its the worst when we get to a house and they tell us to sit down and when they say that i feel terrible sitting down knowing that i will get there floor and couch all wet. But life goes on right? The members are very generous here and give a lot and are ready to help give service anytime we need there help. So we just moved houses this morning and we both feel that we are state missionaries. The house is very nice and the owner is a member who was in the states for a while and loves us a lot. So when they called my companion and i here to help lift, strengthen, and encourage the zone here we had a lot of problems, no investigators, and the zone was just down in all aspects. The month of may is looking amazing right now for almost everyone right now though. We don't think we did anything but we just wanted to purify and start from new with the zone. I don't think we did anything but the zone is a lot different from when we started. We've cleaned out problems and now we just have to start working with the spirit. And that is what Elder Williamson does. He is an excellent missionary that never rests and is always wondering on how he can get better. He's kind of like dad where if he gets on a topic he can go on for days and go into detail that will just go right over your head. But he's fun to be with. It seems like we are always on the run. But hopefully it'll be a little bit more calm in these days. President Lorenzana told us Friday that you can sleep all you want after the mission but right now we´re going to work. And that's how i feel right now. Very little sleep but that's really not a big deal. I love Elder Williamson because he makes me want to be better and do my best. I know how to do everything but he knows how to do everything the best way. Oh i forgot to tell you. He´s a black belt. But whenever we have a small fight i always end it saying that if he messes with me that I´ll knock him down to yellow belt. But we get along good. I'm really trying to open up and be more friendly because I'm a very calm and quiet person. But its hard at times. ha ha. But it´ll come with time. Everything is good down here. The bishop we have is way cool and supports us 100 %. We have a great relationship with him and basically with all the members that we know. We´re trying to get to know all of them and the less actives so we can see if now is the right time for them to come back. We want to focus on the temple with the members so they can be ready when the Xela temple is ready. And with the people that we are teaching right now, they all have someone that they know that we are teaching with as well. We don't have a lot of people that we are teaching but there is a family, 2 jovenes, and a few partial families that we are focusing on right now. Its fun though. Trying to find people that are in a way looking for us. Its a never ending desire that i hope i can acquire. (i think that's how you spell it) When we had a conference with President this Friday he talked a lot about change. We have to learn how to change and do things differently right now so we can experiment everything we can in this short time we have here. President focused a lot on experimenting everything we can. Getting a taste of what we can. Trying new things. Jumping out of the box instead of stepping out of the box. Being proactive. Lead the way instead of following. Its something that i hope i can improve on. Doing things differently to get a better result. And always have the desire to change for the better. And that's where the atonement comes in. It will help us stand up. It will help us jump out of our comfort zone. It will help us jump as far as we want. And it will help us overcome the worldly desires that we sometimes have to stay where we are in our comfort zone. I love you all and i´ll talk to you this Sunday.

Elder Larson

I will call you at 7 30 on Sunday night. Please let me know within in the next few minutes if that is not going to work.
And if you can find those pants that i wore at home those would be nice. Thanks mom

From Diane

Hello all,

I'm now caught up! Phew! I'll try not to get so far behind again. It was quite a project getting caught up! I hope you enjoy reading his emails. A few have pictures so I hope you enjoy looking at them.

Thanks for the support you give my son.

Much love,

Diane