The Hope Factor

Me and Jorge, Most recent baptism

Birthday picture

And a lovely dog after it rained one day

Hello to all-

For me two years go by really fast but just to think that a lot of things happen in that time that you wouldn't think would come to pass.But i guess you can always say that there is a X factor where you have no idea what will come to pass with a lot of things. But there is that hope factor that comes into play that helps us realize that whatever the X factor that comes into our lives will be for our learning. It may not be something that we want or except that would come into play but with the H factor it helps us counterbalance the X factor. And without the H factor we will follow the X factor throughout our lives not knowing where we will end up or what kind of person we will become. But what blessings come into our lives when the H factor guides our life for good. Because it says that all good things come from God. The best factors in our personal lives is something that is worth fighting for. (Or ¨the girl whose fighting for,¨ Mulan). Ok sorry. I like the movie Mulan and the music. The factors that make us step out of our box and grow personally and strengthen our character.Because someone has said ¨We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day¨ In the way that this quote and the talk about what faith and character really is has no words to describe how much it has changed me personally. The X factor will come but that wont change me for the worse. But it will help me change for the better. I cant say i wont change from it but i can say i can take advantage and learn from it. How much i enjoyed this week because it went by slow and we had a lot to do. But how much i love learning more of this gospel. It takes that extra effort and a true desire to do it but i can say its worth fighting for. Gives your life more light,peace of mind, and that true inner happiness that we have all felt at least once in our lives. Christ lives and because he lives he can help me and you become the person we both want to be. We can become like him by doing the little things they try to stick in our minds in primary and live the gospel on a day to day basis. HE is willing to bless our lives a little more when we learn from the X factors that will always come. May he bless you with the strength to believe in him and follow his example.

Love you all,

Elder Erik Larson

Jorge's baptism

I'm starting out with this so i don't forget. I would like a couple family history stories about Jacob Hamblin or any other interesting stories about our family history. Another thing is if you could send some more CTR rings in Spanish because they love them here and they're fun to give away. And an etch-a-sketch thing where you draw on a board thing and then you move a ruler thing and it erases what you drew. I would like it to teach with. Hopefully you know what I'm talking about.

Hello family-I left my camera in the house but i will send photos next week with the baptisms we have had. Jorge just got baptised and it was fun seeing him change in these past couple weeks. He asked me to baptism him and i was privileged to do it for him. And its always funny when the person with the keys to the church shows up 5 min before the baptism should start and the next person who shows up is the person getting baptised. And then slowly all the members start to show up.The talk was given in mam and i really want a lot of the things we doing the church here to change into mam because a lot understand mam a lot better than Spanish. Even though i cant understand it and i can just tell that it sounds good. haha hopefully i can learn a little of mam before i leave here. Oh and yesterday we had 95 people come to church and normally just 65-70 come. The meetings were great and it was a very enjoyable Sunday. Its always so fun getting down to the end of the month because you budget your money a lot more. Because right now we are working a lot in some areas that are kind of far away. So sometimes we take buses to get there. But we walk most of the time.And when people find out that we walked they are shocked and don't believe us because everyone takes a bus. Oh how i love San Juan.

Love, Elder Erik Larson
P.S. i hope the trip was fun and that you had a great birthday dad.

Special trip to HueHue

Hello family-

Who knows where you are today but i hope all is well and you're enjoying the time you have out there. It goes by fast. But as for me i had a pretty good week. We ended up going to Huehue on Monday and we came back Thursday afternoon. We went to an area called Chinaca where for the past 3 weeks they have had 30-40 people come to church that weren't members. So we went down with 8 other elders to see who they are, if they're positive, and to help them make the first step of following Christ through baptism. Monday they had a big FHE and we got to know everyone and it was a really cool FHE. Then the next day we took a few people each person and contacted a lot of this area. After the first day we noticed that about half would progress. And it shrunk in half again the next day kind of. By Thursday president said that we were needed back in our own area with 2 other elders. In Huehue we stopped by Zumbas and it was fun to see Enrique again. Hes such a nice guy. ha ha he´ll be our tour guide. just kidding. But we came back and had a nice few days here in San Juan. This one guy who we are teaching, named Jorge, is going to get baptized this Saturday hopefully. He came to church by himself, with his white shirt and tie,and his hair combed. I love see that change in a person. He lives with Elmer and its pretty far away. He cant read or understand that well but you can just see the change that has occurred in his life.Hopefully he can keep on going. I could definitely see him being a leader and helping the people who only know mam in the branch know more about the gospel. I love it here in San Juan. And Happy Birthday Dad! A cruise for you birthday. What a way to go right?

Love you all
Elder Larson

Erik and Elder Whittaker baptism photo

Elder Whittaker's mother, Lori and I have been emailing. She's a doll.

She sent me a picture that Erik had not sent me from a baptism the two had. I don't have the details but thought I'd post it! This is Elder Whittaker's first baptism! Elder Whittaker is 6'4". Erik is 5'10".

Happy October

Hello family-

What happened to September? If you could tell me i would really like to know.

But to start off i would like you guys to thank when you get the chance The Grundys, Mecham family, your parents mom, The Myers, and of course you guys for remembering my birthday. I was seriously shocked when i saw the mail i had. So thanks and really you shouldn't have. But after all is said and done i am just thankful for everyone i know. Ive just been in a thankful mood for these past few days and the prophets talk and elder Holland's talk just made me want to keep that feeling i have with me.

But my birthday and now conference is done and over with so whats next. probably dads birthday i would believe. haha.

But besides that we helped this one guy we are teaching, Jorge, come to conference with us so he could see the prophet. It was such an amazing conference and i cannot wait till we can get the talks online.

I believe elder Scott's talk was just for me and Bro. Myers, though. I'm just so thankful for this gospel and the happiness it can bring in anybodies lives who live it. Conference is just a testimony to that.

I'm not sure yet but we might be going up to Huehue to work up there this week. I will tell you more about it this next week.

Take care and know that i love all of you.

elder larson