From El Bosque

Hello to all-

So apparently we´re getting close to Christmas and 2011 at the same time. But as for the weather down here it´s been hot turning the afternoon and just freezing at night. It´s been fun but getting sick for a little bit always stinks. But we have had a pretty good week this past week. We have found a couple new families that are really cool and we got one of them to the Christmas Devotional on Sunday night.

The other guy we are visiting and teaching is Miguel and he is one of the coolest guys i have met. We were getting to know this one part of our area on Saturday and we ran into this lady who has all gold teeth. She was really cool and it was fun talking to here about the gospel for the first time talking to her. We said he would becoming back the next day and so we did. We went back but we ran into her oldest son. Oh and she has 11 kids. So we taught him about the Restoration and watched the DVD with him and it was one of the most powerful, spiritually lessons i have had in a very long time. He was very interested and asked a lot of questions so he understood everything. The lesson that we had with him last night was just as amazing but more. We talked to him about baptism and the importance of the sacrament and it was a very incredible lesson. We taught about Alma 7 and the importance of why we need to be baptized. And that's really what he was worried about. His past. The things he did in the past. But since he wanted to learn and change he was able to listen to the spirit teaching him. I haven't been this happy in a long time because its always amazing when you teach and they actually get and grasp everything you teach them. I think this was luck when we met him. As of two weeks ago one of President Lorenzanas secretaries came and talked to us and he said that ¨Luck is when the preparation meets the opportunity.¨ And so finding Juana, his mom, lead us to find Miguel and have the luck we needed at this time.

And so yesterday we had our big Christmas party as a mission and it was pretty cool. We rented out the nicest hotel or convention center here in Xela and has a fun time yesterday. We all had to pay 100 quets which paid for the whole thing which was pretty cool. The food was good and we had hymns and skits from every zone throughout the day. And so they gave us today as a P-Day you could say. We all got a small little bag with a tie and goodies in it. Oh and E Ava had to wrap up all the presents and give them to everyone this year. Lets just say I'm glad i didn't have to that last year. haha. Oh and he was dressed up as Santa Claus and everything. It was pretty funny. And if you could send a letter to Elder Ava that would be great for me.

But I'm glad that everyone is staying busy and i hope that your surgeries go well mom. It sounds like its the Holidays because you guys are always running all over the place. Which is a good thing. Keeping busy is one of the things i lacked before the mission. But now I know that if i keep myself busy doing worthwhile things that there will be a less want to things of lesser worth. The gospel of Jesus Christ takes action and sacrifice on our part. And i love the lyrics to one song about Joseph Smith...¨Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven.¨ Which is true. Nothing of a good value will come free on our part. I love you all and if you think of anyone i could do something for just let me know.

Love,
Pencil Man - aka - Elder Erik Larson

P.S. I don't remember the BYU-I email that i had. And to answer your question about my companion. I am his first companion so in other words you can say I'm training for the second time in a row. ha ha