TWAS a very beautiful Christmas

At the beginning of the month i really was hopeful thinking ya with christmas being soon, more people are going to be willing to hear of the gospel and of christ and the way i found my christmas miracles was a little different than expected, but still the same. I felt myself become more aware of the way I act and the way I honor the tag i carry. Thankful for Him and the way he offers a new life and a clean start every week. There were a few experiences that helped me see why we share the gospel with family in particular

1. We were teaching the husband of a member whose wife and daughters are also members. At first he kind of said that he felt like it didnt matter what he did, all churches led him to god and that is all that mattered is if he believed in christ. At this point i just asked. What do you do to show that you believe in Christ. And he just basically said that he lives his life normal but knows that God lives. So in that moment i just felt like his daughter needed to share her testimony on what does it really mean to believe on him and how she came to know the way to follow. and in that moment i realized the importance and power of testimony.

2. Another member we were with we tried to teach her sister and she kind of ran away, but it was a spiritual experience for us and the member to see that she truly wanted to share the gospel but didnt know how. Fear is a concept that we all face. I sometimes ask, Why am I timid or scared to share the gospel with the people that I love most, but so easily walk up to a stranger and invite them to church and read the scriptures with them?? We share with those we love right? I just know that I need to be a better disciple of Christ and help all others, of course there is a time for everything, but if I love god and have desires to serve him, I am called to the work.

My companion and I made a Christmas for a family that doesnt have much and their mom just gave birth to a still born, and when we knocked on the door we ran to the side of the house and hid, but all of a sudden i heard footsteps and Edison who was just baptized came running out and chased us asking why we did this and all this stuff, and we told him not to tell his family. The next day he came strollin into church with the tie we put in there and he is the only one coming to church now after what happened, a rock for his family. So i am praying that their hearts can be comforted with everything that happened. 

As far as christmas festivities goes... 

Christmas Eve the President and Hermana Zobrist had us over and we ate BBQ ribs (so good) and played games did the white elephant. I told you all i made slippers out of womens hygenic pads and it turned out awesome. I will attach the photo of the elder who opened it. At the end of everyting hna. zobrist wanted them haha. and then watched the fireworks. So much better than the 4th of july it is the best. 

Christmas Day, we made German Pancakes and then went to lunch with my fav. family here that you all met and SKYPED WITH YÂLL. everyone is lookin good, havent changed a bit. 

Life is good. 

Just super grateful

Because i know that you are all dyin to hear about golf i will tell ya....We get to the course and they have like peruvian caddy`s that push your cart, but first they gave us a small bucket to hit. My nervousness had flown away the night before, and i was just more excited than anything. The sun was super hot and like what other option do i have i cant wait a skirt so i have my jeans on. Okay too many details. But first few swings went great and pres was all analyzing me and goes,,,,you got a good little swing hermana! you can hit the ball. next hit...duff..hahah But i started and was playing well. After the second hole i was feeling good and then all of a sudden i felt my stomach drop into my butt and was like aye yai yai que hago??? what do i do the peruvian poops are here and i was SO MAD because i was doing good. So hna. zobrist (the presidents wife) is way awesome and i told her, hna. zobrist where is the closest bathroom and she just laughed you will have to go back so i ran for like straight 7 minutes just praying that i would make it, not to mention it is BOILING hot so it was kinda miserable. But after that i made it to one of the better public bathrooms i have been in, with TP bythe way and it was all good. Then came back to finish golfing. So i missed a hole, but i played fairly well. got a par wahoo after a year and a half. I shot about a 49 assuming that i would have gotten a bogey on the hole i missed. not too shabby. I dontn know what president shot, he didnt take count so in the end we didnt really get the bet or anything. haha but it is all good, it was so fun. 

This week something super weirdly spiritual happened and i still dont really understand but it was allgood. We had a reunion with the district to say bye to my comp who leaves tomorrow, and i made pancakes for everyon ein the church but it took seriously the whole movie that we watched to cook them because the gas wasnt powerful at all but they were still good. anyway, we watched a mormon movie called A good man something like that. It is a story of a bishop and his family and his work and just how he has a lot of wweight to do and how he trusts in the lord to do it all and I dont know why but it just seriously called me attention that I want to be a person who helps lift the burdens and responsibilites of others instead of being the burden and problem. So I beg all yàñlls forgivemens for if one time i was a weight for you all. Especially my parents. sorry guys i love ya. The movie made me unusally emotional and i seriously had like that ``hermana moment`` I was laughin and crying at myself along with the district they were all laughing at me. After watching it I felt an impression to go pray and thank the lord for the gospel in my life, and so i went to a room and started to pray. It was one of the most spiritual experiences but at the same time the situation sounds so weird that i cant really describe it but I will tel you one thing it was spiritual and was just a moment of feeling so grateful for the gospel, and family, and my mission, and EVERYTHING!! 

Other thing of the week: Edison the young man that was baptized a month ago, his mom was pregnant, and this morming he called and told us that the baby died shortly after it was born and so today we are going ot go to the hospital to visit his mom, it is so sad, and my heart dropped. All i know is that we have news of a plan of salvation and i know that it can help all people. 

Luh u all have a good week! 

Que venga la Navidad!!!

Christmas is sooooo soon i am so excited. It is seriously the best time to be preaching the gospel. Highlights of the week...

1. DIVISIONS with Hna. Ruiz

Hna. Ruiz is from columbia and when we were on divisions i got to know her super well, and it was probably one of the most spiritual moments i have had in the past month or so. She is super strong firecracker personality. We were eating breakfast and i just started asking her questions about her family like what she appreciates most of her dad, mom,...how it is with her brothers, and how her family came to know the church. Anyway, she was telling me what it was like for her growing up and some things that have happened in her family with addictions to drugs, and stuff like that. As I listened to her i felt truly humbled for the life I have, for the blessings I was given. I was shocked at how strong she was and we were both just like crying while eating breakfast (bless our hearts right) but seriously it was a way cool experience for me. After, while thinking more, i was just like that is what family history is about because we felt the spirit, we had a deeper appreciation from where we came from, and honestly just the love for her family was there. I told her that I really appreciated her and admired her because you would never know, she is the happiest person all the time. She then, told me that she had never told anyone some of those stories, and that she felt like she understood the power of family after that. so just a sentimental and way cool moment that i wanted to share.

2. We had leadership council this last week, and the training was how to work with the stake presidents and bishops. Basically i was humbled, because i realized that I have probably been the weight instead of taking part of the load. Sometimes, we just say bishop these people need interviews and list of things to do, but I understand now we need to see what visions they have and then use our resources to help them with that. So i am thankful for moments like that. Am i part of the problem or part of the solution?

3. Just grateful for small moments where i understand the simplicity of how the spirit testifies of the truth. We have been teaching Javier who is like 30ish and just has some serious questions. As we teach with the scriptures and add our testimonies i just feel like it is so right. The gospel is simple and true, we just think too much sometimes.

4. okay seriously i need someone to confirm this for me by next week because i am dying to know!! I heard that j.k. rowling is writing a new harry potter book.... if you love me you will update me next week with the deets if it is a rumor or if it is the truth. 

5.The christmas devotional made me soooo trunky haha i love the christmas lights, salt lake is beautiful. We watched it with the stake and we were sitting next to my fav. family here familia monserrate, and mercedes just hugged me and said that we were a family, and it just was a special moment. We eat breakfast and lunch with them and they are just so solid. Today their son left to go to school and they all knelt down in prayer before he left, and it was so sweet, they are such an example. 

Pics include setting up christmas a little bit before council, me and my comp makin french toast for everyone, and a dog named zac.... :)

We had a few groups again planned up this week at the family history center this week, they both turned out great. there was a group of about 30 YW. Sometimes it is a little frustrating because they just say things that i am like come on just figure it out. hermana why is the screen white, hermana why is there nobody in my tree? Hermana why doesnt my brother show up? Well did your brother die? hahah ayyyy but it was also very beautiful because they were all way stoked, and want to come back, and a few are going to be family history consultants in their wards so the work of salvation is going along. 

This weeks plans...

1. Golfing with the President Zobrist: seriously guys pray harder than you did for me than when i was in state hahah jk it is going to just be a fun day

2. we have a talent show comin up that is for the ward so that is fun

3. Talking about the Birth of the Savior with every person we can find, and building good ol´Zion.

4. I will just let you know how it goes next week sound good?

hna larsen

tal jueguito

Dìa de Accion de Gracias

Another great week en el campo misional. We did celebrate thanksgiving to my surprise. President called and invited us and the office elders to his house for lunch and his family was there, it was sooo good. All the latinos were like what is this food, and all the gringos were happy. I didnt get a picture of it though bummer....just a few selfies with them haha Also, the zone had a dinner which wasnt turkey or anything but we had funeral potatoes and jello salad with mangoes. a nice peruvian twist.

But all that stuff doesnt really matter ya know what i mean....it was awesome but the best parts of the week was with some FH activities that we had. A whole branch like 2 hours outside of arequipa gathered about 30 members and were there sending names. It was such a fun environment. When they send a name they ring the bell. (my idea) just saying. still workin on that humility thing.. the spirit is so different there. One convert kept saying I have to go I have to go I have to go after he sent like 4 names meaning i have to go to the temple. Yet another testimony that family history truly retains converts and all members to keep or make covenants in the temple. 

Other than that, I dont really know what to say today other than than i am grateful. I am already listening to my christmas music because i love christmas, great excuse to talk about our lord and savior jesus christ. I dont know if you all have seen the new video the church made a Savior is Born but we are sharing it with everyon eand anyone that we can find. It is a season where more people are receptive to hearing about the savior. I know that when i feel the effects of the saviors atonement, that is when i have a deep appreciation for him, and want to truly follow the example that he has left for me. I am working on repenting because i feel like I have a long way to go and realize that now more than ever, i need to be more like the savior to be able to represent him as a full time misisonary, and be someone that reflects the way the savior acts. The scripture, be ye therefore perferct shouldnt be overwhelming, it is a commandment like others, and the lord doesnt look upon sin with the least bit of allowance. I realize i need to strive harder to be a little closer to perfect to be able to represent him. His love is real and his purpose is more than we can understand, but we can feel that it is true. 

Love you all, have a great week

hna larsen