Young Men's President killed

Hello mom and all the early birds that will be waking up very early for seminary-

I won't mention that seminary here is at 5 in the morning and that we have helped more than a plenty of times helping the jovens get to seminary. Oh the days when i had seminary and that you were my teacher. You probably remember but it came to mind again when you were taking your siesta on one Sunday afternoon when at 6ish i came in and told you that you were late for seminary. You looked all confused and believed me for a few seconds because it was a little believable because it was dark out side like it is around 6ish in the morning. Oh how i got a laugh out of that.

But on to right now this week was a little tough. On Wednesday, the young men's president, Hno. Fidel died. It came as a shock to everyone and it still kind of is. He was coming back from an errand in his car and got out and about 8-10 feet away there were 2 guys on a bike that were trying to rob from a drunk guy that was lying down, when he asked ´´whats going on?´´ They shot him in the chest and then they took off in their bike and he followed them in his car. He didn't get that far when he lost control of the car and crashed into another car because he couldn't handle the pain. They took him to the hospital and he died in the hospital. So the whole ward as been really shocked these past few days. We have just tried to be there for them to help. Its been tough for everyone and it just isn't the same. Hno. Fidel reminded me of Uncle Terry. Anything that Terry does, Fidel did has well, but he seemed to be a lot quicker on the funny comments. Just a great guy to be around and there is no way you wouldn't smile if you were with him.

We also had Stake Conference yesterday. It was interesting but overall he called out all the jovens that haven't served missions to serve a mission and for all of the RM´s to get married. 2 topics that they have tried to help with but at the same time have really forced it with him them.

But overall its been a good week. We had interviews with President on Tuesday and i may train in a week an 1-2 but we´ll see how it goes. I'm pretty excited. And we may have a baptism this Saturday. We´re hoping for the best.

Have a great week. Love ya all

Elder Larson

And you asked me if i wanted anything else. Everyone says that Doctrine of Salvation (the best parts or sections taken from the 3 volumes) is very good as well. So idk if there's anyway of getting that as well. But if not. Its ok. But yes the cookie cutters as well. Thanks mom

Learning to work with sisters in the Zone

I hope all is well and that dad retires soon.....(from racquetball i mean).

Today was a week full of helping the new hermanas and getting to know a few more people. It was fun to see the people we are visiting come to church on Sunday but we´ll see how they feel in this week. It´s going to be tough this next Sunday because it is stake conference and the stake center is kind of far for the people here but we´ll see how it goes.

You said what a blessing mom (I said it was a blessing to have sister missionaries in the zone! ) blessing to learn more patience. Right now they sharing an area with 2 areas. They have half and the elders have the other half but just a few days ago they were going back and forth with scriptures. like a scripture fight. and lets just say that the 1 cor 13:11 or was it 11:13 was
included. hahahaha not good but i think all is solved. 2 Latinas to answer your question. But other than that we are doing well.

I saw Enrique today and he is excited to see you guys. His email is farrout51@yahoo.com if you want to try to get a hold of him in these next few days to plan a day where we can be with him. But I'm thinking you guys can come when i finish and see my areas for a couple days and tour Guatemala for a few days. You plan it mom. You've got the technology. But I'm doing well and have learned to accept my companion how he is. It has taken a while but i know i can change what he does but what I can do is change what i think and do. Its a work in progress.

But hey...i got to go. But Happy August to all

Elder Larson

Busy setting up things in Zone

Hey mom and dad-

I hope all is well and that you are all healthy. Sorry i didn't have anytime to write yesterday but we received hermanas in our zone. So we were helping them with their new house, and with all their new things that they received. We found a house for them and they are basically starting from scratch. But it seems like the hermanas that are now in our zone will lift us up a ton. One of them is one hermana that has baptized more than anybody in years here in this mission. So it should be fun learning from her. But to tell you the truth is that i cant do al ot what she does because she is a female. Kind of in the same way how the sister missionaries got to talk to grandpa. With some people there is just more trust with the sisters and desires to hear them.But we will see miracles with the work here.This past Thursday we had a meeting with the presidents of the 2stakes here in Huehue with Pres Lorenzana to talk about what we all can do to help these 2 stakes become 3. Very cool meeting to see what a stake needs to become a stake and to see what role everyone plays in all this.

But other than that were still looking for people to teach-baptize. We've been working in a small little town that's basically in the middle of no where to see what we can do there. The Bishop here in our ward is from there, so on Sunday we went and visited with him. The lessons seemed to go over a lot better than if we went without the bishop because there's more trust and confidence with the people.The weeks seem to be going by a lot faster and its hard to believe it.But it is. I have to face it. haha.I hope you guys have a great week in Chicago, Utah, at the house, or out visiting
Elder Larson

And whenever the next package comes down here i am really interested in the book Infinite Atonement by Tad R Callister and if you can get me 4-5 cookie cutters. Like of a snowman, or a star, or an animal or anything of Christmas or Halloween that would be great. I am now becoming a cook. But thanks for everything mom and if you can tell Brother Fisher thanks for the soccer balls and that the pictures will be coming soon that would be great.

Greetings from Huehue Guatemala

Hello to all
I hope all is well and you don't still have a cough like i do.

Sorry i don't have any funny stories this week like Elder Palmer's story about his mission leader.

But hey, we just received a new mission leader yesterday and we´re excited to see what we can do differently here now so we can help strenghten the ward.

This week has been tough because the week before the people we were teaching all fell. Fell as in, they won't progress anytime soon because of marriage problems and divorcements. That seemed to be the biggest problem we had and that there is out there right now. I think that Elder Holland hit it dead on when he gave his talk about love and lust. We all thought, wow that was a really good talk, but to actually see people go through it and see that they are victims from it is very tough to watch. But it´s true. It doesn't just happen in the states but wherever there are bad magazines and people of the opposite sex. Its one of the biggest temptations out there and at the same time, very hard to stop once it has began.

But as for right now we are basically starting all over again. But it´s interesting you know? Its another chance to learn and to do things differently. That´s what i hope we can do differently with the mission leader here now.

But this past week we had a mission conference and i really enjoyed it and learned a lot from it. He talked about our thoughts and how they strengthen us or destroy us and how they can help us increase our spirituality. Getting right down to the root, like Elder Holland did in his talk, is that everything starts with our thoughts. Whether good or bad. It´s a big factor to help my character. It was cool because President explained character in the words of ¨the valor we have to follow Jesus Christ.¨

I'm glad i have this chance to strenghten my character and do things that are pleasing in the eyes of the Lord. And i just hope i can be a blessing to all the people that i will come in contact with to help them know the true love of Christ.

Have a great week.

Love ya all

Elder Larson

Accidental call to a General Authority

Hello mom-

I'm still in Huehue!!! And this week we opened up 2 new areas and I was sick these past 2 days. But hey! what a week. We were kept very busy though. Buying medicine, things for the house, and showing the elders their areas. But I'm a lot better now but my wrists are acting up again, kind of like yours. But life goes on right?

Sorry i don't really have a lot to say this week but i will tell you something that just happened about 5 minutes ago. So we're in Huehue and there is a small zone in Las Huistas (about 2 1-2 hours away from here). The assistants dropped off a new phone for them with me on Thursday. They caught an early bus this morning and then we met up with them at the same Internet place. So he wanted to know if the phone was on the same plan as all the other phones. For example.....instead of calling the number 1234-5678 you can call pound 1234 and you wont use any minutes and its basically free. So he wanted to test it out and i gave him pound 1159 for example. He called and nobody answered. About 5 minutes Elder Falabella (he's in the first quorum of the seventy and the first counselor in the area presidency) calls him and says he had a missed from this number. He said he was sorry and then he starts asking him a lot of questions and by the end of the phone call this elder that just received this new phone was very mad at me. Instead of giving him pound 1159 he said i gave him pound 1151. It was quite funny. But at he same time kind of crazy.

I hope all is well and that you guys don't accidentally call a wrong number that turns out to be a seventy of the church.

Elder Larson

Photo of Quetzaltenango missionaries

This is kinda a "where's Waldo" picture. If blogger will allow you to click on this and make it bigger you can find Erik near the top center, to the left of the gate opening, no suit coat on. Big smile on his face.

We love you Will !

William Murdock is our sweet 8 year friend who is battling cancer. Erik sent some pictures from Guatemala last week to cheer William up. I didn't post them last week because I wanted to take them to Sam's Club and get them enlarged and take them over to William first. Here they are! This is Erik and the children of a family that he and his companion have been teaching in Huehuetenango. The last photo is of William holding the photo of Erik in Folsom! We love you Will ! You can check out William's blog here! http://www.ittakesvillages.blogspot.com/