Sister Paige Larsen—Email Excerpt

We had a Zone activity today at the mission home, which took a few hours. I love the mission!

We had a lesson at 11:00 am today, and the spirit was so strong. When we asked Louis, our investigator, how he felt about what we had taught, he touched his heart and said that he felt emotions. He was raised with non-religious parents, and he was illiterate for about half his life. He is a sweetheart.

The fellow we met at the metro station has set a baptismal date for September 4th. Yesterday, when we were only halfway through the baptismal invitation, he was so excited that he interrupted and asked, "When? How many times can I be baptized?" So he picked out a date with the calendar on our cell phone. He loved the iron rod, especially when we explained it.

Elder Larsen-Email Excerpt

The missionary work is going well. We found six new investigators, and a baptism fell in our laps. A girl took the lessons in Arizona, and she is getting baptized here. All she needs is an interview. We have some others that are progressing more slowly but doing well. One of our investigators said hi to us in the library when were emailing. We had a fun lesson with him.

We were teaching Vincent last week, and Ezekiel, his stepson, was in the kitchen. So I invited him to be part of the lesson. He declined because he knew Jesus, but he listened in the kitchen. Ezekiel came into the lesson halfway through to argue with us about things that had nothing to do with anything at all, and he talked a lot. So I did my best to take control, speed through the last principals with very bold language, and committed them to baptism. Interesting situation: he felt the spirit to the point that he told all of us he knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet, but he had trouble with the Book of Mormon. Usually, it’s the other way around, but he committed to read and pray, and he is working toward September 10th.

Elder Larsen-Email Excerpt

I have been transferred to Concord, North Carolina. I am still in a car half the time and on a bike half the time. I was crazy stressed out in York, but now I’m in Concord which is in the Charlotte Central Zone. It is by far the best area I’ve ever been in. It’s kind of weird because I’ve only been to hard areas, and this area is a sweet area.

The work is sweet! Things are looking up!

Sister Paige Larsen—Email Excerpt

We are learning our area better. We haven’t been back to Maryland thus far on accident, since the first few days. Sister Arnett drives now and I work the map. It’s working out well. We just can’t play the music while I’m keeping track of the map, or I end up skipping a step/turn, thinking: “Oh we’re already on that road,” not: “We still need to turn on to that road.” Then my mind goes onto the next step thinking it’s already been done. It’s only happened 2 or 3 times though.

There’s a Sister that’s been coming out with us that already has her mission call to the bilingual mission of Carlsbad, CA. I was excited when I heard that she was going there. I assume that Oceanside is in that mission, right? Everyone in that mission gets called to speak Spanish because it’s so densely populated with Spanish speakers. Weather they’ll ever serve in a Spanish ward is another thing. She’s come with us to a few appointments thus far, and she’s so good. She came with us when we taught some Muslims, and then again to visit a 21-year-old girl who was raised Jewish and Baptist. The Muslim appointment went well. We’ll see if they kept all their commitments and if they’ve gotten an answer this Saturday.

Yesterday we had Zone Conference. It was so good!

Sister Paige Larsen—Email Excerpt

I am going to a NEW area! I’ll be opening the area to sisters. This is called White Washing. White Washing an area is when both companions are new to the area. I’ll be serving in the Colonial 2nd Young Single Adult Ward. That covers two stakes; Mt. Vernon stake, which I’ve served in before, and Annandale stake. I’ll be serving with Sister Arnett, who has been out as long as Sister Bagley. Sister Bagley is gaining one of the 5 baby missionaries coming in. Sister Arnett and I are so excited for each other. I love White Oak, it’s so great. With the spirit’s support it helps us not to be overwhelmed and cry. We got the call from President Albright this morning. Which consists of getting a call from one of the AP’s phones and getting a, “Will you hold for President?” Then the president tells you your special assignment. You only get a call from the President if it’s a special assignment.

One of our investigators, who does all of the reading and really takes the time to ponder and apply it, but never got to church because he worked every other week, now works Monday through Friday with the weekends off. His wife never wanted to learn before, but she found out that their favorite book series is written by a member and now she is interested. She is pregnant, so maybe she is more sensitive to the spirit. When we talked to him on the phone on Tuesday, he said they were looking to come soon. Woo hoo! We have been praying for them, and including them in our fasts.

Missions and all hard things refine us if we let them.

Sister Paige Larsen—Email Excerpt

Is it going to be weird to have everyone either married, or on a mission in the Larsen family? By the way, on the subject of the Larsen Family, I have someone in the ward who keeps asking me about my Larsen ancestry. I really don’t even know cousins with the last name Larsen. Could you mail me the family tree on the Larsen side going back more than 4 generations? This member told me a story about a Larsen ancestor that went blind. Maybe that rings a bell. His father’s mother was a Larsen. His oldest child just graduated from High school.

Emma’s baptism was on Thursday. She got baptized twice. We asked a prospective Elder to baptize her. He’s getting ready to go on a mission, so it’s good experience for him. They already have a home teacher for the family.

The next baptism is on July 4th for a 19 year old man in the Marines. He’s coming up here to be baptized because he started being taught here before he went into the Marines. This is where his main fellowshipping family is. I was volunteered to give my first Baptism talk. Before if I got an assignment I sang, or gave a prayer in Spanish.

Elder Isaac Larsen—Email Excerpt

It’s getting pretty hot. The other day Brother Blood said that it was 106° according to the Walgreens thermometer when he drove by, and it was probably 80-90% humidity. It was rather warm. My companion from Lehi, Utah thinks it’s crazy hot. Every time we go outside, on a day like that one, it’s like wrapping up in a big soggy blanket and riding your bike five miles. But from what I hear, August is way worse than anything that has transpired thus far.

Here in South Carolina squirrel is a common food and the Bishop’s son, with the bishop’s permission, offered to hunt, kill, and skin a squirrel so we can try it. So of course we’re jumping on that. It’ll probably be next week when we eat it; good stuff.

Next week we are getting a new mission president.