The Work Continues

NEWS: this coming week we are going to Tacna ( 7 hours in bus....) to help them with their family history. It looks like we are going to be putting another center up there so that is exciting.

This week we have had a good week. Our investigators are awesome and they come to church everyweek they just i think are scared of the idea of being baptized. My happy was that this one girl that we are teaching Arlette has been coming to church for 2 months and we have only been able to teach her twice before. But we found out where she lived. she told us that she was scared of what her family think because they kind of bully her but we knocked on her door and she came out and we talked outside for about 10 minutes and her mom came out and said for us to come in! We then were able to talk with her mom and she proceeded to ask us questions like ´´Can you take my other daughter to church? Ever since Arlette has gone to church she is changing and doesnt raise her voice or complain. What is happening? She spends more time reading that bible book ( BOMM) than she does doing her homework. haha Basically it was just good evidence for me to see that the gospel truly does change peoples behavior and attitudes. 

I love reading the scriptures. I am in Mosiah and seriously the Prophet Abinidi is just the best. I was reading this week about the king Noah and how we is a wicked king and didnt obey the commandments and didnt walk in the ways of the Lord but rather`` walked in the ways of his heart`` and I was shocked at how strong the languague was from the prophet abinidi fortelling all of the doom and punishment he was going to unleash upon them unless they repented of their sins. And I was like wooww this town was freaking wicked and then i was humbled......How many times do I walk after the ways of my own heart? I have no right to judge how this king and his people were when I am here and everyday I choose to do my own desires instead of the Lords. The people preached things that they weren`t living truly because they didnt apply their hearts to understand. (Mos 12:27) Then i was like ouch how many times have i preached something that I wasnt practicing. Basically I was just thankful that all throughout these chapters Abinidi tells them that the lord will give them an opportunity to repent. That is the difference. The lord will always give us many chances to change and admit what we have done but to change move on and forget our old ways. 

All is well here in the good ol Arequipa. Last week i told you the guy we knocked on his door that said that he was basically naked. We found him agian (with clothes dont worry) and he came to church WITH his daughter for the first time in 6 years. We feel so happy for him, and pray that the Lord will continue blessing him with the courage and strenghth to be an example for his family. 

My comp loves dogs. like every single dog it is so funny. Life is swell as it always is in the mission :) 

Que tengan una buena semana

hna. larsen

fotos 

painting service

ultimate frisbee team from last pday. We went so hard and it was probably one of my most favorite pdays. I have missed solid competition haha

cuttin torta por dias

THa WORK

So i will start by telling you a few of the funniest/worst excuses that we heard this week.

1. I can`t because my dog is feeling sick

2. we knock. A little flap opens with the mans face. me: Hermano pascual is that you? ahhh hermanas como estàn. es que estoy indecente  (means he was naked) hahahahahaahah we just laughed way hard and said ya we will come back another day. he is a less active

there were a few more but those were my favorites. It is so funny we just made jokes about it the whole day. Last night before we started planning i went to the bathroom and I came out feeling good and then my comp just like scared me and i screamed like a little peruvian boy an djust fell to the floor and then we laughed for a long time. Had i not gone to the bathroom i would have wet my skirt. and garments. So ya I pretty much love my companion. again. I am so lucky. 

The work is so amazing. We had leadership council again and i just realize every time how inspired the mission president is and that the lord uses all his servants to help his work. When i saw hna. zobrist she just gave me a nice big hug and started to scratch me where my shingles were haha it made my day seriously. She understands haha I also got to see Hna. Tituaña again (baby girl) :)

Favorite parts of the week....We had a day where EVERYONE was home and we got to teach the whole entire day. such a miracle. the lord is blessing us so much to find those who are ready. We talked with a young kid who has started to come to church with this less active father. He said, the first two times i felt obligated but now i come by myself and it is true. If his family doesnt come he does. So we are working with the family and he has a baptismal date for the end of october. 

FAMILY HISTORY MOMENT:  So saturday we went into the family history center and we were working for plans to get all the missionaries to bring in their converts and less active rescues. Anyway, this man came in who cant really see and doesnt write too well. We tried for an hour to set him up an account and the server was down church wide... :( So I just gave him the booklet ``mi familia`` and we started to fill it out together. I got to know a little bit about him and his family. the first question in the book says ``What do you want others to know about you`` He looked me in the eye and said I want them to know about the gospel of jesus christ. And when they join, that they may continue faithfully for the rest of their lives.`` I asked him how he felt about going to the temple to do this work for his ancestors and he just looks at me and cries and says, ``The temple is the biggest blessing for and and the best place to be.´´ he continued wiping his tears and i broke the rules and just touched his should trying to show my love for him the best way i could because there were no words that needed to be said. Gregorio made my week special, and moments like that make everything worth it. I know that this church is the way provided for us to come to know the true love of god. The lord, His work and His Children are the only things that matter. 

Also, a lady who had done a tone of research ended up sending over 40 ordinances of the temple and it was awesome. Everytime someone sends a name we have them ring the bell. IT IS THE BEST! 

the mission is wonderful, sure love you all!!

hna. larsen

Conference Report

Here in the mission there are so many opportunities to recieve guidance by leaders who create a place where the spirit is allowing one to get their own personal revelation which is why I LOVE CONFERENCE. There are amazing leaders who pray to know the will of the lord for their people and we ourselves recognize in what way we can become better and recieve all the comfort of the faith and plan that we are following. that being said, Conference has been such a pleasure. 

Okay well this week has included many things as far as farewell parties for Hna. Kuhn, working in a different area with my comp for the week hna. menlove, an earthquake ( lasted about 20 seconds, super awesome) , much needed guidance and redirection from the prophet and apostles. So cool because Elder Stevensen the new prophet came to the mission about a month ago and he truly has such a special spirit and strong testimony. 

We were able to work really hard through the end of the week and my shingle body is free from pain so I am an even happier girl. This week was so beautiful, me and hermana menlove had such a great time together, she is such a strong and caring person and we were asking ourselves why we werent companions forever haha. My new companion will come in a few hours. Her name is Hermana Alducin and is from mexico, she is super cool i already know her. She will go home a little early from changes to make it home before christmas which will be so fun for her. We will still be in charge of Family History here and mostly our duties will just be helping the converts and everyone send names to the temple or (even better) organize a bus trip to the temple so they can take their own family names!! WAHOO for F.H. 

Some of my favorite conference sayings....

Renlund:`` It is about the Lord, the Work, and Heavenly Fathers children`` that is exactly what i feel now as a missionary and the more i think of those three things i will be able to be used as an insturment even though i am not perfect

Dallin H. Oaks: He siad something about how the savior has descendedbelow all things and that him having descended everything, he is in the perfect place to liftus up. 

Holland always knockin it out of the park . You know al lthe mothers and women of the church just love holland. But I guess more than anything i was just really appreciative to be ableto say that ya my mom is awesome and her love is similar to the lords. 

Probably the best one for me was hales. The way he talked to the youth and everything i felt like it wa sapplying to me. Just many talks encouraged me to have clean and pure thoughts that will reflect in actions. so there are many things for me to improve on and i will definitely pick a scripture to PONDERIZE and try to put into practice. love all yàll!!

pictures include birthdya of my comp. so they smash the cake in the face and spray you with flour and eggs. so fun. 

Just Grateful is all :)

So this week we finished ALL the conferences and we are just really happy that it all turned out a success. Only 1 day the internet was a little bleh but we made it through. so wahoo we had to pat ourselves on the back and all. 

One of my favorite moments this week was a lesson with a less active that is reactivating. So when we first met her every lesson we had she would be very emotional and tearsfordayz type but this last time we went she was super optimistic and truly happy. We asked her what is different what has changed for you and she said that she still has the same problems and still doesnt have answers for where to work or anything but that she understands the things that are most important. she is beginning to pay tithing again and has goals to go to the temple. More than anything I was just so grateful to see her change and her countenance is just much more radiant. I love seeing these changes in peoples lives. 

As i was studying my mind was focusing on the story of the woman who said if i could but just touch his robes i will be healed. upon exercising faith she was healed. But she tried to kind of sneak away, and christ asked Who has touched me. Of course he knew who it was but he was providing a chance for her to kind of own up to her action. what he knew is that she would feel better about it knowing htat it was also the Will of Christ to heal her. So I feel like she felt better after that even though she had already been healed. She needed that confirmation of knowing that it was also the lords will. 

So this week as far as shingles goes i have been taking half days on orders from president to work and it has been good, i am slowly making my way back into things. So he watched the womens conference with us saturday night haha that is that picture. also, I have been putting a lot of cream to calm the itchiness so thigns are good, dont worry about me, i will get there 100% soon. 

My awesome companion goes home this week which is always sad, she is  avery strong missionary and powerful in her teacing. It is always a reminder when people go home just how lucky it is to be here. I want to appreciate every day I have here and try to just focus on these people. Love them and help them discover the way to use the gospel in their lives. My testimony has grown stronger and gone deeper in me every day. All I can say is that I AM SO EXCITED FOR GENERAL CONFERENCE. When we come prepared to recieve guidance we will hear the lord speaking directly to us. this i know. have a super good week. hit em straight in st. george. Hit some ``riders`` avoid those one four letter words.. jhaha 

cant wait to golf. president came up to me the other day. Hna. Larsen I just bought golf vitamins i am so excited. they are coming in one week. He said that they are to keep you focues and it connects your neurons to your muscle reaction or something anyway, it was just really funny. Good guy. 

so keep em in the fairway

also another fun this week. A member from mollendo came to my church sunday to come see me and it was just so fun to see. 

All the shingle ladies are doin just fine. 

hna. larsen

Back to the Real Work

Wednesday and Thrusday I was able to work half days and so got to keep doing my job as far as training in the family history center. Then the weekend it is full blow. I would probably be lying if I said I was 100 percent but it was seriously soo good getting back. We met with a few people i havent seen in awhile and one lesson seriously went as follows: Manuel asks us ´´I have a question, Why do I feel so relieved and good when I read the book of mormon?´´Seriously it was a very beautiful time for me to appreciate seeing people feel things for the first time. 

I was thinking about how Christ was a kid i am sure he didnt quite understand his role as the savior of the world. He was born with all knowlege he learned ´´grace by grace´´ and I feel like he like all of us just wanted to know his purpose and do his fathers will. when we was baptized he heard the fathers voice, who knows maybe for the first time out loud with other people present saying that he was pleased with his son. There have been many times where I have felt like a million bucks because my parents were proud with a way that i acted or served someone. but more than that, there is nothing better than feeling like you have pleased our heavenly father. In many ways i feel like family history has helped me not only find my identity with people in the fam, but my identity as a divine daughter of our heaveylk father. 

Saturday was tough. I just remember feeling so beat and had chills where my rash is and at the same time couldnt stop thinking of how much i wanted to itch it all the time, and so I just kinda pushed through and members were like, hey you dont look good, so i told my comp ya i dont feel too hot right now and she is just awesome and just looked me straight, you need to seriously tell me how you are, your health will impede you from working well if you dont feel well. So i took a 20 minute power nap and the lord seriously blessed us with the rest. 

My bro sent me this quote ´´The atonement is not just to cleanse, but to complete, not just to comfort, but to compensate; not just to liberate, but to lift.´´ he seriously is the best. I know this amazing power is true. I have felt close with the savior and just trust him with all of this even though it is still kinda dumb to me that i got shingles. like fer real i am 20. haha 

The Lord has blessed us in many ways. This is my comps. last week in the mission so it is kinda a wake up call for me to see how lucky it is to be here and that time really does pass by too fast. So I am grateful for my time here. 

Pics include me eating salsa in the mission home. The best members ever that are our neighbors, and getting back to the room. 

Today a member is going to take us to some ``cool places`` and we will pass p day like that!

wahoo to mission wahoo to all of you reading this, hope i havent decined in my skill of emails.... 

peace love blessings

hna. larsen  

tal luegito

But I am 20 years old??

Interesting week. AFter moving the house the other week i told my comp that i was unusually tired the past few days and that something was going on with my back. asked her to check it out and she goes oh dear i know what that it. i think you got shingles. I just started laughing BUT I AM 20 YEARS OLD. We went to an internet cafe looked up the symptoms and stuff sure enough it matched up. So long story short I have been cooped up detained from the world here in the mission home for a whole week.

The first few days i didnt sleep much and it got a lot worse. After coming back from the hospital the second time president asked how i was and i just said tired was all. He kinda just goes Larsen just relax everything is good we have a new missionary and etc. everything is working out thanks to the lord so just chill dont stress and i dont really know why but i was so tired after getting a shot and the second trip to the hospital and overwhelmed cause the doctor was all this is going to take 2 to 4 weeks of rest and i was thinking i dont have that kind of time. Anyway when everyone was telling me to not stress i felt like i was more nervous so naturally i started to get teary eyes. That night was a humbling experience. I really had to accept everything and get over the fact that i couldn't beat this dumb shingles thing if i didn't rest. So the following 4 days i slept and slept and watched a few movies. I am feeling a lot better. 

 LESSONS I LEARNED

1. I was able to read the WAY TO Be book by Gordon B. Hinckley and I just want to recommit myself to being better. being true. smart. positive. clean. still. prayerful. humble. just everything. Anyway one thing i liked that he said ´´those who look forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out´´ Being contained to a bed was a good opportunity for me to read many great talks scriptures and books. I truly know that prophets are the mouthpiece of God and they say exactly what we need to be doing. 

2. I was definitely humbled a few days into the whole shingles business that i just really had to pray to the lord. In that prayer i felt like my understanding of christs atonement was broadened and that he truly knew my pain not only physically but just being sad and lonely. It hasnt been fun being by myself while everyone gets to work. Anyway, i just remember more than anything being really grateful for the gospel in my prayer and all the help i was getting. 

3. I know the priesthood power is real and that blessings exercise faith. During part of presidents blessing i felt like dad was giving it to me. 

I guess i dont really know this whole thing happened, i dont feel stress, maybe it is just an exhaugtion thing from my body, but through it all, i do have an even greater desire to be heathly so i can go back and help bring others to the knowlege of the atonement as i have felt it his past week. I am grateful for the knowlege that one day everyone will get the gift of a resurrected body. Can you imagine how amazing that it. and its free. we are all getting one. I have realized how important a functioning healthy body is in all of this work. But in a way, i feel like if we didnt have these moments of pain we wouldnt appreciate it so ya we are grateful here for everything. so that is where i am at. love yáll

Oh we opened the family history center to the public and had an open house for the stakes to just come check it out and it turned out great. Some guy from the 70 came and said that we are the first center in the whole area meaning like peru ecuador bolivia and 2 other countries which is so amazing. he said we are apart of something big and that we will be the example for many others to come, so huge opportunity i am really excited. Many people were able to send names, stake presidents, new members, it was all very beautiful. So i was able to escape on sunday a little to help. 

tha work in progress

How we doin back home family?

Started the day off well with a nice service project. we literally lifted up her house and moved it 180 degrees so her door was facing the other way. I dont really know why she wanted it like that but it took team work from the zone and it was just a good morning. 

highlights of the week

I dont really know how to explain how fun it is being with pres. and hna. zobrist they just remind me of the family life and maybe that`s why i think it is fun. we see them just about everyday as we do these trainings. So the center is up and running and we have already asked for more computers because we are thinking that we are going to be needing more which is awesome. There was a missionary that sent names to the temple, and i just was like probably overly happy for him, but still i feel like this work is such a neat opportunity. It is hard trying to balance it with the area, but we are doing the best we can. 

Something i read in the bible dictionary that i really like was about miracles,it is a natural results of the Messiah’s presence among men. We have spent the week taling about turning hearts. The theory that i have come down to is that it is when you decide to act on the spirit that touches you and it works in such a way that you have no more desire to do wrong (mosiah) Changes like that are so amazing. The lord asks us to change in such a way that we need to be born again. That is so big and i feel honored to be here inviting people to recieve this change, even if they dont completely understand it, they feel it. 

I feel like i am where i need to be. My pensionista is severely depressed with things that have happened in her life and has distanced herself from the church but she said that we are helping her by bringing happiness back to her life. She really opened up to us and i just told her that she has a purpose and that she can still have a happy eternal family. 

I heard from Jorge my first convert who was baptized in october and he wrote me saying that the church is like his second home and it just made my heart so happy because i hadnt heard about him since i left. Prayers are answered , sometimes delayed, but answered. 

As i do all this family history my appreciation for all of you family members has definitely aumented. I hope you know that i love you all and appreciate all the sacrifices you have made to make our family a happy eternal one. Love my three brothers who have taught me how to be fun, how to work and plan, and how to care. Thankful for my parents who have prepard me well to love and serve these people. dad during my interview iwth president he basically just talked to me about golf. Then he said if you beat me i will buyyou a car, what will you give me if i win? I told him i would take him and his wife out to eat at his favorite restaurant so pray that I remember how to play and hit em straight!!! haha seriously i am nervous now. 

FOTOS

Sucess at the Family History Center

Today we moved a house. just took everything out and then moved it around to the other side of her lot. 

pres and sister zobrist trying out the desks of the family history.