Saturday, October 3, 2009

Conference Sunday, counsel from his Mission President

Hola-

Probably just ending conference i assume. For some reason president told all of us that we couldn't watch the first 2 sessions of conference because they weren't too much mission related. But were going to priesthood soon so that should be fun. It was a pretty busy week. We had mission conferences and that was fun.

It was pretty cool that we talked last Sunday. I thought i would get you both and i think i did a pretty good job. I knew you would be sleeping and i called it. I cant wait to go to conference later tonight and tomorrow.

We had a meeting with president on Sunday night and he talked a lot about being number 1. Just being pro-active and doing things without being told. I really liked what he shared about it. He also talked about working with other people and companions. The one thing that i liked was that if you're in stake or bishop presidency there are 3 men. They are going to think, A, B, C and the Lords will is going to be X. That is really true if you think about it. And with talking about our companions he said your companion is NOT your companion but he is your teacher.

I hope all is well and that you all have a great conference and a great week.

Elder Larson

Saturday, September 26, 2009

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

Saturday, September 19, 2009

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

Saturday, September 12, 2009

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

Saturday, September 5, 2009

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

Monday, August 31, 2009

Surprise! Transfer to the office!

So this week was a great week. I feel that we are doing work here. Marabel and her son have a baptism date for the 12 of September. I'm really excited for her.

So we had interviews with President Lorenzana on Tuesday. He wanted to know if I could teach English. I said I am OK and that I could if he wanted me to. We also talked about the office and stuff. So I thought that I would have changes in 2 weeks.

Well I received a call last night and I'm here in the office right now. I'm not really sure what I'm going to be doing but we will see I guess. I really don't know what to think or what to do right now, but I know that everything happens for a reason. For some reason I'm here and I hope I can be a blessing to president and the missionaries here.

But I think my p-days are on Saturdays. I really feel like a freshmen going into high school for the first day. Not knowing what to expect but that this is going to be a new and really cool experience if I give it time and try to hit the ground running. We will see, I guess. I don't know if you guys will be shocked but I am just a little bit.

But on Thursday I did baptismal interviews for Pamelita. They had 5 baptisms. One big family. It was my first time interviewing but i think it went really well. Usually the interviews are pretty fast but i tried to make it more like a conversation. The parents seemed to know everything and the kids were sharp too. I really liked getting to know them and doing the interviews for them. They seemed to enjoy it and I was glad to do it for them.

Hope all is well and that you have a great week.

Elder Larson

Monday, August 24, 2009

Dionicia and children's baptism

Hey mom-

I think I've had one of my favorite weeks this week.

We had the baptisms for Dionicia, mom, and two of her kids, Keni 11, Pedro 9 on Saturday. She has two others but one is 6 and the other has 16 but she works on Sundays. We're working with her and were going to talk to her boss i think this week about it. But we had the baptism in the stake center because they were going to have a big stake activity at the same time. We had a nice baptism and after everyone that was at the baptism went and stayed at the activity.

We had two other of our investigators go as well. Marabel and her son Juan 9. They really liked it and she made us lunch on Sunday and because she is very grateful for the things we have helped her with. She didn't go to church but were looking at the 5th of Sept with her and her son.

Dionicia and her family look so happy. She works at this tortilla place just off the street and we have passed by everyday to talk with her and eat tortillas. I think it makes her day when we pass by. We can see a difference in the family and we are very grateful to be here with all of them. I hope Elder Rico and i can help more people see the light this week. It's going to be a great week.

Elder Larson